


Undisclosed Desires

by skinsharpenedteeth (Skinsharpenedteeth)



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Blood dreams, Dream Sharing, Just the Tip, M/M, Malex is Endgame, Marijuana, Mild breath play, Mutual Pining, Recreational Drug Use, Reincarnation, Self-Denial, Slow Burn, Vampires, jealous forrest long, major character death refers to one specific character dying in past lives, memory dreams
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:41:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28769505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skinsharpenedteeth/pseuds/skinsharpenedteeth
Summary: There is a spring for everything. A time where the cycle of life and death is completed, only to restart. Alex has seen so many cycles, so many lives pass before him while he remains unchanged. Michael is one of those things. He's met him three times before and its never ended with a Happily Ever After so when he moves into the vacant apartment above Alex's, he decides this time he won't act. He won't pursue.... but he also can't stand not knowing him at all.sort of a songfic inspired by "Undisclosed Desires" by Muse
Relationships: Forrest Long/Alex Manes, Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 91
Kudos: 74





	1. Salt, sweat, sugar on the asphalt

**Author's Note:**

> The first three chapters have been looked over by [PrimalMusic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/primalmusic) and [Jo Carthage ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jocarthage). The Roswell 18+ Discord group all helped me a lot with fleshing out and exploring how vampirism and alien biology might react to one another.
> 
> Also, this fic is rated Mature right now, but that rating will probably go up as the story progresses. I can't imagine me not writing explicit sex into a vampire story. I'll add tags also as that becomes relevant.
> 
> Also, check out this AMAZING Title Art that [ DrLemurr ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28781244) made for me! I cannot express how much I love it. You should also go tell her how much you love it as well!  
> 

There was something dusty and sepia toned about Plain Springs. The scorching Nebraska summer sun seemed to wash out all the brightly painted houses, seemed to turn the green grass yellow before Michael’s eyes, and made the air over the flat top seem as though it undulated and blurred. The town seemed to be made up mostly of old Victorians and shack-like bungalows. It was a college town and a farmer's outpost at the end of the Plains. Michael had checked in with the college and been directed by one of the friendly admin assistants (whose eyes had lingered just a moment too long on his belt buckle before she caught him watching her and started blushing) to the part of town most likely to have rentals available. (She’d _kindly_ offered her own guest room if Michael couldn’t find anything).

So he was cruising the streets, building a mental map of the town, and looking for ‘For Rent’ signs on lawns or in windows. He’d happened by two only to call and find out they were out of his price range. As he slowed to a stop in front of the large, basil and tan Queen Anne, he didn’t feel all that hopeful that this one would be a winner. The house seemed moderately well cared for but showed signs of deterioration around the edges; a once beautiful dress that was beginning to look threadbare around the hems. It’s upper and lower wrap around porches were romantic and the yard was shaded by a couple of old maple trees. He dialed the number on the sign and waited, leaving it on speaker so he could circle the block and get a look at the house from all sides. The back of the house had two stacked porches as well, connected by a sheltered staircase. There was an uncovered gravel parking area that showed three cars parked sedately next to one another despite it being two in the afternoon on a Wednesday.

“Hello?” a voice answered through the phone. Michael pulled into the parking lot and parked next to a green sedan.

“Hey, is this the correct number to ask about the apartment to rent at 109 Covered Hills? The green house?” Michael asked, feeling his chest tighten with hope that the place wouldn’t be too expensive or a shit heap.

“Is that you that just parked outside in the blue Chevy truck?” the voice asked. Michael looked towards the house and saw the outline of a face behind sheer curtains at one of the windows

“Yeah, that’s me,” Michael replied, waving a little to seem friendly.

“I’ll meet you at the back door in a minute and we’ll talk about the apartment,” the voice said and then hung up. Michael furrowed his brow at the almost rude behavior but shrugged it off. He shut off the engine and climbed out of the cab of his truck and walked over towards the back porch. A young, medium height man stepped out. He was completely different than what Michael expected from the voice. He had a serious face, and not an ounce of fat to space on him, but he was obviously athletic under his casual jeans and button down. He gave Michael a professional smile and held out his hand.

“I’m Kyle, the agent for this place and one of the renters,” he introduced himself. Michael felt the hasty squeeze on his hand and tamped down the urge to squeeze back harder.

“Michael. So one of the apartments is for rent?” he asked, looking up towards the house. Kyle followed his gaze and nodded.

“Yeah, we’ve got a one bedroom upstairs for rent. It doesn’t have much in way of a kitchen, but it’s connected to the old sleeping porch. Rent is $650 a month, utilities included,” Kyle explained. Michael nodded along with him and tried not to look too excited at the rental price. “Wanna go up and see it?”

“Sure, I’ve got time,” he drawled casually. Kyle turned and led him up the back staircase and to one of the two doorways at the top. He unlocked it and waved Michael in in front of him. The blast of A/C made Michael feel like he was going to swoon. He also felt something else when he entered the apartment. Something felt right about the space that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

The front door opened into a kitchen area. It wasn’t much of a kitchen, but he’d lived in an Airstream through his undergraduate years so it seemed adequate for his habits. The full bath was off from the kitchen. There was an open area that was a little too wide to be called a hallway, but too narrow to be a normal room. It was painted in an oddly calming moss color that made him smile. The open area led to three doors. One door opened to the interior hallway of the house. The second door led into what must’ve been the old sleeping porch, a room lined with windows and a wood floor the same color as the outside of the house. The last door led to what might have been a bedroom at one time with a small fireplace nestled in one of the corners of the room. The entire apartment was covered in original hardwood flooring that, though scuffed and well worn, seemed solid under Michael’s boots. He paced the length of the apartment a few times, looking up at all the corners of the walls for cracks or crumbling plaster, asking questions about the fireplace and heating/cooling. He found Kyle to be affable and friendly, though he wasn’t sure they’d ever be the best of friends. Michael might consider sleeping with him if it seemed like he was into it, but he seemed unfortunately heterosexual the more time they spent together.

“So, all utilities included?” Michael asked, running a hand down one of the door frames affectionately. He really liked this apartment.

**\---**

Alex awoke groggy and unmoored. He could feel in his bones that the sun still shone outside his light tight bedroom. He laid under his covers and listened to the house, trying to push his awareness out to see what had caused him to wake when he should be deep asleep. He heard the faint thumping of footfall in the rooms above his. He strained his ears and could hear Kyle and… someone else moving around above. He breathed in deeply and felt like he could smell new blood in the house. Blood that sang to him, called for him to come and claim it, wanted to be taken by him. He’d felt this before but it’d been almost a hundred years… he’d figured he wouldn’t feel it again. His gums throbbed in his mouth and he wanted to brave the sunlight to go upstairs and find what was calling for him so strongly… but that was foolhardy. The sun would burn him, he would be in pain and feral, and he would hurt Kyle or the new person in his blind need... But he couldn’t stay in bed, couldn’t continue to lie still while the being above teased him. So he got up, followed the men room by room underneath, strained to hear their voices and interpret their conversation while his eyes burned from the diffused sunlight that sneaked past the curtains and under the door frames. When they made it into the converted sunroom, Alex could hear them almost clearly. He stood on his coffee table and looked towards his ceiling. He spotted a beam of light that hit his chaise lounge near the outer wall. Hopping over to the piece of furniture, he stood on it’s cushioned seat and tilted an ear up, careful not to stand directly in the beam.

“So all utilities included?” he heard the unfamiliar voice ask, drawling speech almost connecting the words. 

“Yeah, all utilities included. Obviously you’ll have to pay for your own internet or cable or whatever, but water, gas, sewer, electricity are all included with the rent,” Kyle answered. A creak in the floor, a shift in air, and Alex could smell Kyle, dust, and _rain_. He pushed to his toes, head tilting back so he could breathe in deeper. He wanted to press his nose to the source of that smell. It smelled so strongly of life and energy, so much more than any other human Alex had come across.

“So what’s the deal? Why is this place still open in August in a college town?” the man asked, sounding wary, but not uninterested.

“There was a death here a few years ago. Not in this apartment, but in this house. It was fairly well publicized in the area. And actually, we were set up for some renters but they fell through at the last minute. I’ve just had this place listed for a few days so maybe you just got lucky,” Kyle explained. Alex shut his eyes and grimaced, wishing Kyle didn’t talk about the murder until after they’d signed the lease. He knew the stranger would’ve found out eventually. 

Plain Springs was a college town, but other than that it was nothing but a central location for farmers to buy supplies. Practically every house in town was built during the turn of the century and was in various states of disrepair. The college was renowned for its agriculture programs which didn’t seem to attract as many filthy rich donors with its lack of a proper sports department than some of the bigger state schools. Alex moved himself and his companions to Plain Springs because there was enough fluid population to support their physical needs, but it wasn’t as claustrophobic as the big cities seemed to be. He’d had a long life and found that on average he liked only 4 or 5 people at a time in his life. The murder in the house… Well, that had been a careless mistake. He’d been away and hadn’t been there when one of the others had needed him and they’d gotten carried away. It’d been so messy to clean up.

“A death, huh? That sucks. Murder or suicide?” Alex flinched at the question and lowered back flat on his feet. He’d have to track this person down another way. There was no way he’d take the apartment now that he knew.

“Suicide. It was a sad case. No ghosts though. We had the place smudged,” Kyle replied, trying to sound upbeat.

“Smudged? By an actual Native American? Cause otherwise, you were just waving around smoking herbs,” the stranger asked, his voice trying for amused but he ended up sounding defensive.

“Yeah, actually. The owner of the property is recognized by a tribe, so actual smudging. I’m impressed you know that it’s a Native American practice,” Kyle said in an impressed voice, still trying to make the deal, Alex realized. Alex, himself, was a little impressed as well, but also wary of anyone who claimed to know about Native Americans but who wasn’t one.

“I grew up in southern New Mexico near a reservation and I worked on a lot of ranches. It broadened my knowledge of the world,” the man explained, a note of bitterness entering his voice. Alex wanted to know the story there, wished the stranger would divulge to Kyle so he could know more.

“That’s a hard area. I’m from Mexico City originally,” Kyle offered in commiseration. There was a beat of silence and Alex was clenching his jaw with frustration with how badly he wanted to just be able to _see_ them.

“So about the apartment…” Kyle started again, trailing off a little. Alex unconsciously lifted back up, hoping against hope that this man that smelled like rain would stay there, would take the apartment so he could get to know him, scratch this new itch easily and not have to hunt him through the town.

“Yeah, yeah. Well, I mean it seems like a cool place. How are the other tenants?” he asked, and Alex could feel his shifting weight above him. He wanted to follow him with his body as he crossed the room, but he didn’t want to miss hearing him speak again.

“Everybody is cool. There are a couple night owls. We all know each other and hang out, so if you want to be a part of that you’re more than welcome. It’s… we’ve got a real community vibe going on here, so if you want to sequester yourself up here and never interact with your neighbors it’s going to be kind of hard, ya know?” Kyle explained.

“No, that’s fine. I don’t know anyone in town so it’d be nice to meet some people,” the guy responded. Alex felt his heart squeeze painfully as hope sprang.

“So you want to go sign some paperwork and make this official?” Kyle asked, clapping his hands together and making Alex jump at the loud smacking sound.

“Yeah, man. Let’s do this,” the man responded, a bit breathless but sounding happy. lex could feel the smile in his voice warming his body. The men moved off and out of the apartment. Alex lowered himself off the chaise and crawled back into his bed. He fell back asleep to the feeling of pens scratching over paper in Kyle’s rooms across the hall and his universe shifting subtly around him.


	2. A simple prop to occupy my time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Michael see each other for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Michael found that he liked that the porch outside of his apartment could be kept dim. It seemed to deter some of the less tenacious bugs from visiting him. He’d never lived in a place with such rampant mosquitoes and he missed being able to lay out underneath the stars without worry that he’d be eaten alive. The air itself seemed thicker here somehow, harder to breathe in than the dry New Mexico air he’d grown up with. He listened as the night insects screamed their mating songs and felt the sticky sensation of sweat sitting on his skin. The stars were covered by clouds and he could vaguely hear thunder in the distance. There wasn’t any lightning yet, not that he could see, and instead the night just felt like everything was opening with the expectation of rain. He leaned back in the cheap plastic chair he’d gotten at the Dollar General down the road, using his feet against the railing to balance back on two legs, while he brought the tightly rolled joint to his lips and sucked in. Even the pot smoke seemed damp that night.

_ “This one goes out to the one I love…. This one goes out to the one I’ve left behind…” _ Michael heard someone singing softly below. Slowly, he straightened his legs and leaned forward to look over the railing. Probably the most beautiful guy he’d ever seen was walking idly around the backyard by the driveway singing to himself. He was in dark jeans and t-shirt over his almost long equally dark hair. Michael didn’t think anyone could look good in a Panama style hat, but this guy somehow seemed to make it work. Michael reasoned that he might just be so good-looking that anything would look good on or off him. Michael watched him walk imaginary tight ropes on the uneven brick path markers and pace over the grass to the road and back, all while half singing lyrics and humming melodies, and the dark bands around his fingers caught the light from the street lamp. Michael was absolutely enchanted. He stayed quiet and watched the stranger like he was some spirit that might disappear if he brought it’s attention to him.

Somewhere near the end of Michael’s joint, the man looked straight up at him as he took a turn around one of the large maple trees in the yard, fingers trailing over the bark behind him. Michael saw the briefest flicker of… something… pass over his features. Recognition? Regret? Longing? The look passed before Michael could pin what emotion it was, settling instead on amusement, and his dark eyes seemed to glitter in the tallow porchlight. The look froze Michael in place, smoke trapped in his lungs, as he waited for the man to speak to him.

“You should buy better weed if you don’t want people to know you’re there,” the stranger admonished as he looked up from where he’d stopped next to the tree. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned his shoulder against the bark as he waited for Michael to respond. Michael made note of the small, dark septum piercing peeking out under his perfect, upturned nose. Michael exhaled the smoke in a huff of amusement.

“I didn’t think I was hiding,” Michael answered casually, grinding out the roach on the railing. He shot the stranger a smile but stayed sitting with his arms on the railing as he looked down. Somewhere in his brain he wondered if he was casting himself as Juliet in this particular situation and then wondered if there were other famous balcony scenes with much less tragic endings than Shakespeare’s.

“No, you just sat up there and stared at me for ten minutes instead of saying ‘hello’. That makes you more of a creeper than an asshole, right?” the stranger shot back, a sharp half smile the only evidence that he was teasing. ‘Oh,’ Michael thought, ‘This motherfucker right here… might as well propose marriage to me now. I am invested.’

“Oh, I don’t think I’m either. I was out here enjoying the night air when you came out singing. You seemed to be having a good time entertaining yourself, why should I butt in?” Michael asked, still bent on trying to charm this handsome, dark spirit of the Midwest. “Besides, if you knew I was here, you could’ve said ‘hi’ instead. I’m new to the house so shouldn’t you be introducing yourself to the new neighbor? Offering me sugar or some other housewarming present? Making me feel ‘welcome’?”

“You accept a lot of sugar from strangers?” Dark-and-Gorgeous replied, definitely flirting back a little with Michael even though he stayed against the tree. Michael could see the challenging arched eyebrow from under the hat and he felt the tight, familiar sensation of attraction stirring in his stomach.

“Why don’t you offer me some and find out?” Michael quipped, standing up to let Alex get a better look at what was really being offered. Michael’s shirt hung open, leaving his chest exposed to the humid night air, and he still wore his obnoxiously prominent belt buckle even though he’d thought he was done being seen for the day. Dark and Gorgeous gave him a once over, eyes traveling down and sticking on the belt buckle for a moment, drawing out the smallest smirk. He opened his mouth to speak and then stopped, cocking his head slightly like he was listening to something. Michael strained his ears to try and hear what he was hearing, but the noise of the cicadas drowned out every other sound.

“Maybe some other time,” he said after a moment, looking back up at Michael with a faintly apologetic expression. Michael shrugged nonchalantly at being turned down though he wondered what had changed. There was still longing and electricity in the lingering look the stranger gave Michael from the ground.

“Maybe some other time,” Michael said, repeating the man’s words back to him, though he chanced a grin because he was pretty sure that ‘some other time’ would happen sooner than later. A moment later, there was a whistling sound that came from down the street that both he and the gorgeous stranger turned to pay attention to. Another dark haired boy turned down their drive and headed towards them. He smiled at Michael’s neighbor familiarly, almost lecherously, before looking up at Michael.

“Oh hey man! I didn’t know anyone had taken that apartment up there. Did you just move in?” he asked, chatty and casual. In the yellowed porchlight from the house, Michael could see his hair was dark blue instead of the rich dark brown of his neighbor’s. He was built stockier than his neighbor also, body cut in squares and rectangles, all sharp angles, instead of flowing, softened curved lines. He was good looking, but he had nothing on Michael’s neighbor.

“Yeah, been here a couple days. I’m Michael,” Michael called down. He watched as the blue haired man placed a proprietary hand on the gorgeous man’s lower back as he smiled up at Michael. Obviously, he wanted Michael to know that Dark-and-Gorgeous was his and Michael usually wouldn’t balk at it, but he felt a flair of jealousy and greed in him that spoke to his darker nature. He tamped down the impulse to start something, provoke a response, poke the bear, and he just smiled amiably down at the men.

“Forrest,” he replied simply, both of them sharing wary nods of acknowledgement. Forrest seemed to understand about what Michael was feeling towards his neighbor. He gave Michael a wry, humorless smile before he turned to Dark-and-Gorgeous and Michael heard him say more quietly, “Alex, ready to… uh… get some dinner?”

“Yeah, I’ll follow you in. Give me a minute,” Alex, apparently, replied while placing a hand on Forrest’s side and beginning to herd him towards the back entrance of the house. Alex didn’t look to see if Forrest was following his direction, simply placed his hands in his pockets and looked back up at Michael somewhat chastened by Forrest’s appearance. He held his gaze and Michael could peripherally see Forrest’s calculating look as his eyes flitted between them.

“See you around, Michael. Hope you come down to one of the parlor parties sometime,” Forrest called on an annoyed sigh before retreating towards the house. Michael heard the whine and slam of the screen door and then the heavier thud of the wooden, inner door closing before he dared open his mouth to speak to Alex. Alex beat him to the punch, however, speaking almost before Michael could finish drawing a breath.

“On the weekends sometimes, we open the apartments on the bottom floors and have people over. Everyone is welcome,” he said quickly.

“Sounds like fun,” Michael said, feeling marginally awkward now that he knew Alex was taken. He still wanted to flirt, still could feel the heat between Alex and him, but he had manners. If the man was taken, he was taken and Michael had to respect that and back off no matter how much it stuck in his craw to do so. The heat between them felt scalding and they barely knew each other’s names.

“It’s not too bad. If you find yourself lonely, you should wander down. We won’t bite unless you ask us,” Alex replied, shooting Michael a wicked grin. Michael felt his throat catch a little at how devastating his smile was and had to collect himself before responding.

“You won’t, huh? Maybe I’ll come down next time and see if you keep your word. You have a good night, Alex,” Michael called out, taking a step back from the porch railing and further into the shadows. 

“Goodnight, Michael. Sweet dreams,” Alex called up to him, waving a hand and ducking his head before stalking towards the house and out of Michael’s vision. Michael once again waited to hear the sounds that told him he was alone outside and then he sat back in his chair, resuming his previous position. Wind rustled through the leaves on the trees and Michael noted the first fat drops of rain hitting the railing by his feet. He sighed and closed his eyes, waiting for the rain to come in force before he’d go inside. The breeze felt good around his overheated skin and he needed to collect himself after meeting the most beautiful man living.

\---

Alex ducked his head and walked into the house and towards his rooms, hands clenched in his pockets and breath short and quick as he hurried. He’d finally seen the man whose very presence in the house had woken him from his daily somnolence. He’d presented himself as if he were a gift, wrapping already parted for Alex to peek at what was underneath. Alex’s eyes had feasted on the tan, sweat dewed skin, the dark whorls of hair on his stomach and chest, and the flush brought on by the heat of the night as much as their flirting. When he’d gone outside to wait for Forrest, he’d smelled the rain, salt, and weed and hoped the man would be the first to speak. He’d ignored him as long as he could before he gave in and addressed him, annoyed with himself that he couldn’t help but look up at him. He looked like he’d stepped out a painting about satyrs or fallen angels.  _ Michael… _

__ __ And he’d offered himself to Alex! No sign of self-doubt or hint of fear. All Alex had to do was ascend the stairs and he could’ve had him against the porch railing, could’ve tasted him before the ink had dried on his lease…but he hadn’t. It may have been better if he had because now that Alex had seen him, had heard him, had smelled him…. He wanted to touch and taste him. 

Alex met Forrest in the open foyer in front of the double doors that led into his apartment. He opened one of the doors, waving Forrest in front of him, before following. Forrest turned on him as soon as the door was shut, eyes bright with jealousy. Alex gave him a quelling look the moment he started to open his mouth.

“It’s nothing. He’s a new neighbor. We flirted a bit. He’s nothing to me,” Alex lied, moving closer to Forrest until he could cup his face in one of his hands. “You’re my only one, the only one I need. He’s just a new neighbor. We’ve been through this before. You shouldn’t let him worry you.”

“It doesn’t feel the same. You want him,” Forrest replied, pressing his cheek into Alex’s palm even as he glared him through his eyelashes. Alex agreed with him but didn’t want to explain what it meant that Michael was different from every other person on the planet. And Forrest was right, he did want him. Oh, Alex wanted him too much, but Forrest didn’t need to know that when Alex didn’t know if he would be doing anything about it. Alex caught Forrest’s eyes and gave him a long, grave look.

“He’s just a new neighbor. I was being friendly,” Alex repeated, reaching out and pulling Forrest flush against him. Immediately, Forrest’s eyes were darkened with lust. It was always that easy with him. He kissed Alex’s palm, then the base of his thumb, and when Alex pushed lightly on his bottom lip, he wrapped his lips around the digit and sucked. A thrum of desire went through him and he was glad to know that this… _ feeling _ … he had at seeing Michael hadn’t robbed him of his ability to seek pleasure with others.

He let Forrest swirl his tongue around his thumb before pulling it free and kissing him deeply. He could do this. It was as easy as riding a bicycle. He opened his mouth and Forrest kissed back roughly, desperately, and for a moment the only sounds in the dim living room were their panting breaths, the slick sound of their lips, and the sound of cloth crumpling against the floors. Alex let Forrest back him onto the same chaise he’d stood upon a week ago during the day to hear Michael’s voice. He laid back and let Forrest kiss and worship his body, taking his pleasure before leaning forward over Alex’s chest and offering his neck to him. Alex stared at the hole in the ceiling, wondering if Michael could hear them as well as he’d been able to hear him speaking with Kyle. He let his teeth drop and sank them into Forrest’s unresisting neck, his eyes fluttering at the warm, rich taste that flooded into his mouth. He tried to block out the rest of the world, tried to sink into the feeling of drinking from the warm, willing body pressed against his, but the sounds Forrest made in his ears felt too loud. He didn’t know whether he liked the idea that Michael could hear Forrest’s wrecked moans or not. Michael was fire and this burgeoning infatuation dry tinder. He needed to be careful not to be consumed by it.

\--- 

Michael went to bed late the next night pleasantly tired from putting together his new desk and futon. He thought he could almost see the lightening of the sky when he glanced out his east facing windows. Max had called earlier and said he’d be around in a couple days with the rest of Michael’s things that he hadn’t wanted to drag around with him while he looked for a place. The stipend the university’s program was giving him wasn’t the most generous he’d heard of, but it would cover his rent and possibly buy him cereal and milk. He’d need to find a job to offset the rest while he worked his way through the last bit of school. It’d be worth the extra hassle just to keep living on his own. He’d never been a roommate type of person and he didn’t see that changing unless there were mutually assured orgasms to offset having to deal with someone else’s everyday mess.

He flopped onto his back on the unfolded futon, trying to ignore the heat that seemed to sneak in and permeate every room in the apartment despite the A/C running. The room he’d decided to set up as his office had been a sleeping porch before they’d extended it further into the house by moving the walls and putting in windows instead of screens. The windows ran all along the outside wall of the room, letting in plenty of light even at night. Michael let his eyes drift closed thinking this room would be great for his plant experiments in the winter. The groans and creaks of the house settling around him were lulling him to sleep. He even found he didn’t mind the traces of conversation he could hear from other apartments as he was pulled down into unconsciousness.

_ He was in a bathroom, staring at the fogged mirror. He wiped his hand over the clouded over surface and caught a reflection that wasn’t his own. Darker eyes, darker hair, delicate features looked back at him through the mirror’s water beaded surface. Michael opened his mouth to speak and a strong, long fingered hand shot through the mirror to grab onto his wrist. He felt his hand pulled forward, but the glass of the mirror was solid for him and his hand punched and fractured the glass. Blood ran from his knuckles down between his fingers. He pulled his hand up to look at it and saw electric arcs dancing between the red rivers on his skin. His eyes moved back to the mirror and Alex was there, licking his own hand which was bloody like Michael’s, the arc’s of current sizzling on his tongue as he cleaned the blood from himself. Michael watched, concerned and looked back at his own hand which was being cleaned as well with ghostly licks of pressure making the blood disappear. He furrowed his brow and looked back up at Alex. He leaned closer, trying to look through the pieces of unfractured glass but they were fogging back up. He raised his hand to wipe away at the condensation, but hands came from the fractures and pushed at his chest with unexpected force. _

__ __ _ Michael fell back, felt himself fall into the warmth of gas and liquid, and it felt like returning to the womb. He was protected, he was safe. He opened his dream eyes and the light was peach, pink, and yellow around him. He was in his Pod. He didn’t know how he knew, but he was naked and curled in his Pod back home in New Mexico. He saw Alex’s blurred outline standing outside and he was mouthing something. Michael shook his head, he couldn’t hear him, couldn’t read his lips. Alex looked frustrated and Michael watched as he produced a knife from somewhere and slashed at his arm. Then, as if holding a palette to paint, Alex dipped his fingers into the blood that seeped from his arm and started to write words along the outside of the Pod’s surface. It was backwards and the blood ran together before Michael could figure out the backwards letters. He tried to reach out, tried to push his arms out of the Pod so he could talk to Alex, but his hand hit the smooth domed surface and he knew he was trapped. Alex looked at him sadly through the smear of red and disappeared. _

__ __ Michael snapped awake with a gasp. It took him a minute to remember where he was, why he was slightly sweating, why the streetlight came in from the wrong direction. He rolled to his feet and padded to the bathroom. It was tiny, the shower barely an afterthought of the design, and after taking a leak the idea of cool water on his skin was too much to resist. He turned on the shower faucet and waited until the water was lukewarm before shucking off his shorts and stepping in under the spray.He shivered as the first blast of cool water hit his chest and raised the hair on his body. His mind strayed to the dream, thought about how Alex’s tongue had felt as it lapped at the webbing between his fingers... He turned around quickly, trying to let the image in his mind go while the water sluiced down his back, enjoying the cool trickle down his legs and calves. He leaned back and wet his curls, running his fingers through them and feeling an almost ecstatic sigh push out of him as he felt comfortably cool for the first time that day. The dream had been confusing, saddling the line between almost erotic and almost horrific in his mind. 

Out of the shower, Michael didn’t even bother to put his sleep shorts back on before padding naked to his futon. He pushed the window unit temp down cooler before laying back down, spread eagle, on top of the futon’s mat. The breeze from the A/C tickled the hair on his legs, groin, and chest as they slowly dried. He thought about his dream, about his handsome neighbor, and what it could’ve meant. Rolling to his stomach, Michael dimly hoped if he had any more dreams about Alex that they would be less mystery and more sexy. It wasn’t cheating if it was in his dreams, right?


	3. Memory Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Michael share their first dream and Alex shares the first time they met...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is where that Major Character Death tag comes in for the first time. It's in the past. All the Major Character Death stuff is in the form of Memories. If you'd like to skip these, I'll put a summary in the end notes that you can read over instead. 
> 
> Also, this is a fairly short little chapter. I'm going to post all the Memory Dreams as their own chapters.

Alex dreamed. His body was cold, heart barely beating, limbs immobile, breathing stopped while the sun shone warm and bright outside the house, but despite all signs that he was truly dead for the day, he dreamed. (Little did he know, upstairs on his recently delivered bed, Michael shared his dream as he took an afternoon nap.)

_The desert night was so cold against Alex’s skin; well, he hadn't been called 'Alex' then, but the name he used with his family was one he would never share again. The white and brown painted horse beneath him felt like the only warm thing on the planet. The wind cut through his skin to his very bones. Alex laid over the horse’s back, cheek pressed into its neck and hands clinging to the round sides of its body. He didn’t know where the horse was taking him, but it had slowed from its earlier cantor to a slow walk uphill. Alex opened his eyes and spotted the caves he’d slept at before on other shepherding trips. His whole leg felt like a weight that was trying to drag him off the side of the horse. He mentally urged the horse to go just a few more feet… just a few more...feet._

_As his horse topped the ridge he could see the dimmest glow against the rock and the smell of smoke wafted gently towards him in the wind. He prayed it was one of his tribe, prayed that somehow a healer was nearby, but when his horse neighed, the silhouette that broke up the orange rock wall was unfamiliar. Alex couldn’t fight again that night so he closed his eyes and waited to be killed for his horse._

_He heard the gentle, musical Spanish language of his father’s people. It’s been so long since he’d heard it, since he’d spoken it, that the stranger’s words had almost no meaning to him. The words weren’t meant for him anyway, but were for the horse._

_Alex felt strong, calloused hands grab him and pull him from the horse’s body. He waited for the feeling of rock, dirt, and dry winter grass to slam into him, but instead he felt warmth and the gentle swaying of being carried. As soon as the wind quit biting into his skin, he lolled his head into the man’s shoulder. The warmth was addicting and even if he was about to die, Alex was glad not to be so cold anymore. He closed his eyes again and felt blackness envelop him._

_He was back at the camp. His brother and he had set up for the night under a copse of trees along the planes. Their flock was nearby and Alex was feeling the dull pull of exhaustion after a long day moving the herds._

_It had come upon them quickly. The horses had snorted, the flock erupted into fearful bleats and Alex was sure it was a coyote. His brother stood up and started towards the herd. When he was out of a sight, a figure appeared out of the dark, deep shadows filling the sockets around his eyes. It was a man, but not a man. He came at Alex so fast he didn’t have time to scream or draw his knife. He tried to scrabble away, but the thing’s foot came down hard on his leg. Harder than any man should be able to strike another man. The snap or bone and feeling of skin tearing made Alex finally draw enough breath to scream._

_The thing lunged for him, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him close. Alex fought hard, tried to push and beat at the man’s face, but it was as if every blow were from a feather. Behind him, Alex watched his brother creep back into the camp with his drawn obsidian blade. In horror, Alex saw the monster turn and go for his brother next._

_His brother fared no better than Alex did. The thing brought him to the ground within minutes. Then his teeth were out, then his mouth was attached to his brother’s neck, then Alex was watching the spirit drain from his brother’s body._

_Fear pushed Alex into action. He looked down at the mangled ruins of his leg, bleeding out onto the ground. He pulled his own blade and frantically cut away the last few shreds of muscle and skin holding the pieces together. It wasn’t much and the knife was sharp. Faster than ever before, Alex tore off his shirt and wrapped it around the bleeding stump, tying it tight with a cord from his bedroll. The sucking noises from the monster’s mouth, the anguished, dying cries from his brother, the still terrified bleating of his herd pushed out any pain out of Alex’s brain as he began to drag himself over to where the horses were tied._

_When two of the three noises went silent and he was still too far away, he stilled momentarily. He hoped, vainly, that the thing had left now that it had been fed. The strong, cold grip on his intact calf let him know he’d been a fool to hope so._

_Rocks and dirt bit and scratched his bare chest as Alex was dragged back towards the fire. He tried to grab hold of sagebrush, tried to dig his fingers into the hard packed dirt, but it just left him with more cuts and broken nails. He was flipped over and for a moment, the monster looked like a man again. Just another man. But then his teeth came out and the feral hunger took over his eyes and Alex knew he was still a monstrous thing._

_The moment it’s teeth ripped into Alex’s neck he knew he was dead. The sucking sounds it made were worse so close to his ears. He felt himself growing weaker, but also angrier. With a last burst of strength, Alex opened his own mouth and dug his teeth into the flesh of the monster. It was insane, but Alex would wound him somehow. He would take back from this thing what was being stolen._

_Blood touched his tongue and he gagged at its taste, but after a moment he began to suck at the wound he’d made. He kept it up until he was so weak, he couldn’t do anything but keep his open mouth nearby to let the thin stream drip half in and half off of him._

_Alex opened his eyes and he was on his horse’s back and they were cantering through the night. He didn’t know where he was, didn’t know how he’d gotten onto the horse’s back, but he was so weak he didn’t care. His extremities throbbed, his lips felt raw, and he could no more control the horse than he could sit up. He closed his eyes again and hoped the horse would take him home._

_Alex heard mumbled words near his head and cocked his head towards the noise. It wasn’t Spanish anymore. He opened his eyes and looked at the stranger kneeling over him with his string of beads in his hand. He was… beautiful. He had dark, curly hair and his skin and eyes seemed barely to hide the gold behind his skin that shone like sunlight. He laid a hand over Alex’s forehead and Alex wanted to push into the warmth of it. Words like water flowed over Alex’s skin and the man was speaking to him. Alex knew it was to him this time although he didn’t understand any better than when he’d been speaking to the horse. But they sounded comforting. They also sounded concerned._

_Alex watched as the man shifted from near his head to near his feet. He plucked at the tightly bound cord that held Alex’s shirt to his leg. Alex could see the shirt was red and brown and still looked wet near the end. When the Spaniard pulled back the fabric, Alex smelled infection already setting into the wound. If he didn’t get to his healers soon, he would die from it. He tried to reach out, tried to grab the shirt to cover the wound again, tried to speak, but his mouth was dust and he could barely lift his hand from the cave floor. The sadness in the stranger’s eyes as he met Alex’s gaze was enough for Alex to know he would not make it._

_The stranger continued to speak in rushed whispers as he moved back towards Alex’s head. He grabbed one of Alex’s hands in his and with the other he clutched his beads and bowed his head. Alex knew he was speaking to his god on his behalf. He’d seen other men do similar things._

_Weakly, Alex tugged the man’s hand holding his towards him. The warmth of his hand felt so good, so very, very good. Alex tugged gently to bring it closer to his face. He wanted to feel it’s warmth against his cheek. Without stopping, the man let Alex move his hand to press against his cold cheek. Alex could smell the onions and bread from the mans’ dinner on his fingers. Drums started in his ears, fast drums without echo, he could hear it through the man’s skin. Deliriously, Alex felt the crazy desire to break the man’s skin so he could swallow those drums. The drums were beating out a song for strength._

_His mouth opened and then he was tasting blood for the second time that night. Sweet nectar and strength as he’d never felt it flowed into his body. He didn’t hear the screams, didn’t feel the struggles, didn’t know what was going on until the next night when he woke up in the dark feeling alien in his own skin. He opened his eyes and could see everything clearly, more clearly than ever before. He looked down next to him and there was the lifeless body of the most beautiful man he’d ever seen staring sightlessly back at him. His messy dark curls fell over his forehead, the honey brown of his eyes clouded over, he looked shocked and white… so white. The gold was gone from under his skin now. Alex’s mouth opened and he remembered howling into the darkness as he realized he was a monster now too._

_Alex laid with the dead man until dawn. As the rays of sun pushed into the cave, Alex drug himself further into it’s dark recesses. His stump was healed, but his leg was still gone. Instinctively, he knew if the sun touched him he would burn. His body was screaming for sleep. He found the man’s bedroll and covered himself, hunkering under the tightly woven fabric and smelling rain, sweat, and bourbon that had soaked into the cotton. He wept until the drag of sleep was more powerful than his guilt or anguish and drug him under._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a memory in the form of a dream. Alex remembers the night he was changed. He and his brother are attacked. Alex is disabled by the vampire practically snapping off the bottom of his leg. After the vampire kills his brother, he comes back to Alex and Alex is accidentally made into a vampire. He somehow escapes/is let go and is ill and comes across Michael who is sheltering in a hillside cave. Michael tries to care for him and Alex loses control of himself and drains him. He's filled with grief and remorse as the sun comes up.


	4. I'm just dreaming of tearing you apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first parlor party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you PrimalMusic for beta-ing for me! You're the best!

Michael woke up with a start, his head hurting as he half remembered a nameless man covered in blood who looked like his neighbor. He remembered fever bright eyes that still seemed to swallow the darkness as they stared into his. He remembered pain and then he remembered watching as the man hid from the sun. Michael shook his head to try and clear the jumbled impressions and images from his dream out of his mind. 

Outside his bedroom window, he could see the orange, pink, purple, blue of dusk and wondered if he’d be able to see the first few stars of the evening from his porch. He stood up and stretched his aching body, somehow feeling more tired after the nap than before. Hoping to wake up, Michael made his way to the kitchen to prepare coffee. As the coffee dripped through the filter into the waiting pot, he stared into the darkened tree branches of the maple by his porch and found himself once again reliving the feeling of Alex’s warm mouth wrapping around the side of his wrist. He could almost see Alex’s teeth pushing and parting his skin, could almost feel the pain searing up his arm as the harsh suction of Alex’s lips over the wound started to bruise him, could almost hear the thundering of his slowing heart as the life was transferred from him to Alex. It was like he’d been in a trance. Michael had hit and pulled with everything in him and he could not get Alex to notice him or release him. He remembered finally giving up, laying down on the ground next to him and hoping he’d stop soon, wishing he’d get to live longer... 

Michael jumped as a knock on the inner apartment door jolted him out of his daydream. Furrowing his brow, he went over to answer it, mentally cursing the dream and the way it’d put him on edge. When he peeked through the peephole his heart jumped into his throat to see Alex on the other side looking freshly showered and beyond perfect. He was wearing a long, black linen button-down that almost hit mid-thigh and black skinny jeans. His black painted nails tapped against his arms as he glanced around the halls while he waited. Once again Michael was hit with the feeling that this man was probably the most beautiful person he’d ever seen. And yet despite that, Michael was nervous to answer, nervous that he might see those eyes from his dream again… 

A second knock sounded and somehow Michael knew that Alex could feel him on the other side of the door. He’d know if Michael tried to ignore him so he swung the door open to greet his neighbor. 

“Alex!” he said with a smile, perhaps too brightly to be believably genuine. He hated that he felt flushed and sounded breathless like he’d been caught in the middle of doing something else… something with decidedly less pants on. The way Alex’s eyes zeroed in on his chest, he became aware that while being pantless wasn’t an issue, he was still shirtless from his afternoon siesta. He tried to focus on being casual and inviting, tried not to think of all the reasons he might feel a little weird about being shirtless in front of a man he’d all but propositioned a few days ago. A few days ago before the dream and when Alex had been safely twenty feet below him. Now he was in front of him and even with the juxtaposed mental image of Alex’s face and chest smeared in sticky, dark brown coagulate, Alex was distractingly gorgeous this close, so much more tempting for Michael to touch now that he was within arms’ reach, clean, and real. No night terror phantom trying to haunt him. 

“Michael, hi,” Alex answered, eyes dragging up from Michael’s exposed chest to his face. He smiled a little shyly before continuing and Michael wondered what that was about. “We’re opening the bottom floor tonight if you want to come down and meet some people.”

Michael looked at him and then past him like he’d see people peering up from the stairs, waiting for his response. Whenever he opened the door to the inner house, the rich merlot colored walls over the dark, mahogany wainscoting and matching wood floors made Michael feel like he was stepping into another century. If he believed in ghosts, he’d believe they lived in this place and were always eavesdropping. Alex followed his gaze and then looked back at him with an eyebrow raised in question. Michael flushed a little more under his scrutiny realizing his mind had wandered again.

“Sorry, man. I just woke up. Really fucked up dream. I’m still kind of in the middle of it,” Michael tried to explain, hand coming up and rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. To his surprise, Alex looked suddenly very interested, his gaze sharpening. The look made something in Michael’s chest involuntarily tighten and he wasn’t sure if it was with self-preservation or interest. Alex seemed to see that he’d put Michael on guard with his question and immediately adopted a more casual pose.

“What was the dream about?” Alex asked, sticking his hands in his pocket and looking down at his feet where he was knocking the heel of one foot against his toes. Michael wondered if this was a nervous tic of his. He was watching Michael through his eyelashes which was not helping Michael concentrate on anything but the physical attraction he was trying his best to ignore. Alex had a boyfriend and was a neighbor. Michael knew better than to piss where he ate.

“Just… stuff. It’s hard to explain,” Michael hedged. He really didn’t want to get into it when he hadn’t really stopped to dissect it for himself yet. Alex nodded and stepped back as if to leave, a small frown on his generous mouth. Michael floundered for a way to save the situation, to take the frown off Alex’s face, but the look Alex gave him was shuttered. Despite the heat of the summer, there was a distinct chill between them as Alex gave him a half-hearted grin.

“We open the doors around 8. Wander down whenever,” Alex said coolly. Michael cringed inwardly and then sighed. It really wasn’t any of Alex’s business what his dream was about, but he definitely felt like he’d failed a test by not telling him about it. 

“Yeah, I’ll drop in,” Michael promised, giving him what he hoped was a charming smile in return. Alex shuffled back towards the stairs, his movements awkwardly exaggerated as if he were reluctant to leave, like he hoped Michael would just blurt out the information he wanted to gain his approval. Michael kept his mouth shut and just watched. He watched until Alex’s head was out of sight and then shut his door softly. He leaned his back against the warm wood and let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding. 

\---

Alex was going through the motions of making his apartment guest-proof. His mind was chewing on Michael’s expression when he’d talked about having a fucked up dream. Something about the way he’d said it made Alex wonder… but surely, they couldn’t share dreams. That wasn’t something he’d ever really had the power for. Some vampires, he knew, could do it, but he’d never seemed to have a knack for any of the supernatural extras that came with blood drinking. When he’d come down the stairs slowly, hoping Michael would change his mind about sharing the dream with him, he’d found himself confronted with Forrest in the foyer. 

“Visiting Maria and Jenna?” he asked, looking faintly surprised as he spotted Alex on the stairs. Alex sighed inwardly, knowing this wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation. He didn’t know what had possessed him to go up and invite Michael down in the first place. Alex couldn’t not go upstairs though. The dream he’d had… the memory of being turned and seeing Michael for the first time… it had discomfited him. He’d needed to see  _ this _ Michael from  _ this _ lifetime. He’d needed to know he hadn’t already done something unforgivable to him  _ again.  _ And he hadn’t wanted to wait to do it so he’d found the flimsiest of excuses to go upstairs and knock on his door. Briefly he considered lying to Forrest, but Forrest didn’t deserve that. 

“No, just going up to let Michael know we were opening the parlors tonight. You’re here a little early,” he commented as he opened the door to his apartment and went in. Forrest followed him and Alex could already feel the pout forming on his lover’s face. Forrest was jealous and possessive and most of the time Alex didn’t mind or care. He wasn’t so extroverted that he needed legions of people around him to be happy, but with Michael in the house he knew it would needle at Forrest every time they interacted. His fear of losing Alex was so very human and Alex loved and hated it. 

“Oh? How is Michael doing?” Forrest asked, forced casualness in his tone. Alex sighed inwardly, already tired of the conversation. 

“He’s fine, I guess. I didn’t really stay to talk with him. I just let him know about the party and then came back down here,” Alex explained, walking through to his tiny kitchen to start pulling down the red plastic cups he kept on hand for party nights. He felt Forrest’s arms wrap around him from behind and smelled the spicy pine scent of his soap. Forrest’s lips brushed over the exposed skin of his neck where two thin scars were raised above the rest of his smooth, perfect skin. Alex reacted instinctively, shuddering against the feeling. Forrest always took this as encouragement, and Alex didn’t want to tell him otherwise, but it always made him feel weak whenever someone touched the scars where he’d been drained.

“We’ve got a little time before the party,” Forrest said, his hands starting to roam over Alex’s torso. “You should grab a bite beforehand. Maybe take the edge off any  _ cravings _ you might have.”

Alex turned around and draped his arms over Forrest’s shoulders. Forrest immediately pressed forward, his lips seeking out Alex’s. He was half hard and Alex let himself succumb to the cheap distraction. He widened his legs and let Forrest move between them to press closer. Alex could feel the hard, lean muscles of his body under his thin t-shirt and could already see all the small pinprick scars he’d left on him from their previous trysts. Some days Alex wanted to keep going until he peppered Forrest’s entire body with small symbols of their coupling, but other days he wished he’d never started feeding from this beautiful blue-haired boy. Forrest kissed him like he wanted to drown in him. That disregard for his own life in favor of fulfilling his lust always made Alex feel a little reckless. He shouldn’t let him keep doing this, but he didn’t want to pull away. He’d been alone for a long time before Forrest. 

“You haven’t made your bed yet,” Forrest commented when he came up for air. His body was a solid line against Alex’s. Alex could feel the rapid rhythm of Forrest’s heart against his chest and it made him want to fuck and fight and feed. It made him feel reckless with desire to take what was always offered so freely to him. Forrest wouldn’t deny him anything; his hopes, his fears, his blood, his dreams...

“No, I haven’t,” Alex agreed, smiling indulgently. He trailed soft kisses down Forrest’s neck, breathing in deeply like he could smell the blood racing through his veins. He nipped gently at the jutting muscle of Forrest’s neck, letting his blunt teeth drag over the skin before moving to the other side and doing it again.

“I want you to fuck me,” Forrest said through a moan. Alex hummed and his hands went down to palm Forrest’s ass through his tight jeans. He ground their hips together, loving the building tension and heat between their bodies. Forrest didn’t want full penetrative sex very often. This felt like a treat and a bribe and Alex knew it was both. He didn’t care. He wanted to feel the tight clutch of the other man’s body around him, wanted to watch the sweat rolling down his back, wanted to coat his glorious ass in milky white stripes of cum… but he had to make sure.

“You sure?” Alex asked, bringing his head up to knock noses playfully with Forrest before kissing him. Maybe if Forrest was happy and maybe if Forrest was well-fucked he’d be content to forget that Alex had ever looked at Michael with anything other than polite interest.

“Yeah, I want to feel you all night, want to know exactly how deep inside me you were,” Forrest practically growled. Alex grinned against his mouth and pushed him away from him and towards the bedroom. Forrest’s face was starting to flush from arousal and he needed him naked yesterday. 

“Then I guess we better get started.”

\---

Michael ran his fingers through his damp curls for the dozenth time as he checked his reflection in the small mirror he’d placed by the door that led into the main house. He could already hear people milling around downstairs, their laughter drifting up the stairs to him. He had a six pack in one hand and tried not to think too hard about why he’d put on his best worst jeans that he  _ knew _ made girls and guys alike want to fuck him. He’d only had one guy in particular in mind when he’d pulled them up over his bare ass (underwear just wasn’t practical when he wore this particular pair of jeans) but maybe he’d find himself a distraction.

He closed his door behind him and headed downstairs with all the false bravado he could conjure. He caught a few curious glances from people standing in the hallway chatting before he worked his way into one of the apartments. It was bright in a way that made him suddenly very homesick for New Mexico. There were bold splashes of red, turquoise, green, blue, and yellow around the room and what looked like blown up prints of Loteria cards on the walls. This couldn’t be Alex’s apartment so he wondered whose it was exactly. 

“Michael!” a voice called from behind him. Michael whirled to see Forrest approaching him, a broad grin on his face. He looked clean-shaven and suave as the last time Michael had seen him from his porch. Up close Michael could appreciate the mixture of clean, sharp lines that made up his appearance and the pungent masculinity he seemed to exude without needing to dirty himself up for it. He was shorter than Michael, but his presence made them seem equal. 

“Forrest, right?” Michael asked. Forrest laughed and patted Michael’s shoulder in a way that reminded him of the way Kyle had touched him at the end of his apartment tour. Friendly, but business-like. 

“Yeah, man. Let me introduce you around to the other tenants,” he said, pulling Michael a short ways away to a lovely, short hispanic woman with large brown eyes who was speaking animatedly to two young men who looked somehow awestruck and dumbfounded at once. 

“LIZ! Hey, mind if I interrupt for a moment?” Forrest said, giving the guys an apologetic look that obviously dismissed them. Liz watched them retreat before giving Forrest a hard look. 

“You didn’t have to send them off like that. We were talking about school,” she said admonishingly. Forrest gave her a trite, apologetic smile. 

“Sorry. I just wanted to introduce you to the newest tenant here. This is Michael. He took the one bedroom upstairs,” he said, waving over Michael expansively like he was a prize on a game show. Liz narrowed her eyes at Forrest, not yet acknowledging Michael. 

“Why are you introducing him around? You don’t live here, Forrest, shouldn’t this be Alex’s job?” she said bluntly. His smile didn’t falter, but Michael could see it turn brittle around the edges. Apparently there was beef between these two. He wondered what he was getting thrown into the middle of. 

“He’s doing me a favor. He must’ve heard me complaining to Alex that I hadn’t met any of the other neighbors yet. Hi, I’m Michael,” Michael interjected smoothly, stepping between them and holding his hand out to Liz. She eyed Forrest around his shoulder for another moment before turning to Michael and clasping his hand firmly in hers. 

“Liz Ortecho. This is my apartment. What brings you to Plain Springs?” she asked politely. 

“I’m starting my masters in agricultural engineering at the college,” he explained. Her face completely changed when he said that, going from bored but polite to animated in a blink. 

“You’re in one of the engineering programs?! Oh, me too! I’m in biotech engineering. This is my second year. Have you been up to campus yet? Who's over your program?” she asked rapidfire. Before Michael could answer, she turned to Forrest with a cold look. “You can go now. Alex might be living his life and forgetting about you.”

Forrest shot her an ingratiating smile and left. She watched him for a moment before turning back to Michael. 

“I’m so sorry about that. Forrest is not my favorite as I’m sure you can tell. He’s a leech and I don’t like him. Why Alex keeps dating him is beyond me. Anyway, back to engineering! I’m so excited to have a fellow engineering student living in the house!” she gushed and after twenty minutes Michael decided she was his favorite neighbor whom he absolutely did not want to see naked. Not that she wasn’t hot, but she was intense. He could see Max being dopey over her though and hoped when he brought the rest of his stuff, she was around to meet him.

“Who is this you’re talking to?” a beautiful, light brown skinned girl asked as she slid in next to Liz. Her arm snaked around Liz’s shoulders as she sipped her wine and gave Michael a thorough checking over. 

“This is Michael, our new neighbor. Michael, this is Maria. She lives upstairs with her girlfriend Jenna who is around here somewhere. They’re in the apartment across from yours,” Liz explained, arm wrapping around Maria’s back in a familiar, but only friendly way. Maria was gorgeous. Almost as gorgeous as Alex was with her soft brown curls and dark, almost black eyes. 

“Well, hello neighbor. How did we get so lucky to have another hot guy to move into this house? I swear, this house has good luck when attracting tenants,” Maria said more to Liz than Michael. “Are you the mid-grade weed I smelled earlier?” 

“Uh….” Michael floundered, not sure how to answer. He looked between Liz and Maria who broke down into giggles. 

“It’s fine, Mikey. Everyone here is pot friendly. I wouldn’t leave a pile of coke on the table if you know maintenance is coming by, but a little marijuana is not anything anyone will be fucked up about. This  _ is _ a college town, after all,” Liz explained, reaching out and squeezing Michael’s arm affectionately. He didn’t know what to make of her calling him “Mikey” but decided to see if it stuck before vetoing it. 

“Then, yeah. That was me. Did you want to smoke?” he asked, reaching towards his back pocket. She stopped his arm from reaching his pocket with her hand. 

“I’ve got much better weed than you do. I’ll introduce you to my people. Want to step out onto the porch?” she asked, already moving like she knew what his answer would be. He grinned and began to follow her, looking back when Liz didn’t move. 

“You’re not coming?” he asked, stopping in his tracks. He was peripherally aware of Maria pausing as well while he consulted with Liz. 

“Nah, I’m gonna go find those guys I was talking to earlier. You guys have fun! Find me later,” she said, waving them off. Michael smiled a little unsurely and waved before turning and continuing to follow Maria out of the back door. They stood on the porch beneath his own, facing the back parking lot which was crammed with cars. Maria lit up the blunt she’d produced seemingly from thin air and took a hit before passing it to Michael. Before he even inhaled, he could tell she was right about it being much better weed than what he had. It smelled sweeter and when he finally took his hit, it didn’t burn or scratch at his airway as badly. It was very, very smooth. He let the smoke out slowly and handed her back the blunt. His brain was instantly a little softer around the edges. 

“Oh, wow. Yeah, your shit is way better. Damn,” Michael commented, looking around for a place to sit and spotting a bench under the stairs.. He took a bottle out of the six pack he’d been carrying and offered her one. She took the bottle and looked down at the label. 

“Blood and Honey Ale, huh?” she commented, smirking to herself. 

“Yeah, it’s got kind of an iron aftertaste. It’s not bad, but if you can’t stand it let me know and I’ll drink it,” he explained. He popped the top of her beer and then opened one for himself. They sipped in silence for a moment, passing the blunt between them and drinking. It was quieter outside and the porch hid them from most of the traffic in and out of the house. Alex appeared after a few minutes, leaning back against the railing.

“Maria, Michael,” he greeted, looking down at them. He was still dressed as he was earlier and Michael felt the pull behind his ribcage to pull him onto his lap and devour him. 

“Alex, love. Want a hit?” Maria greeted him back, holding out the half finished blunt. Alex took it and sucked in a quick, deep hit before handing it back. The smoke slowly curled out through his mouth into his nose before he blew it all out at once. Michael was charmed by it, but that may have been the weed talking. He was feeling distinctly floaty and under the smell of weed, he kept getting hits of wisteria and warm, damp summer soil. 

“What are you guys doing hiding out here?” Alex asked, looking more at Maria than Michael. Michael watched the way his shirt gaped where it was unbuttoned partway down his chest and could see the hint of red scratches on his skin. Michael was curious whether they were from fingernails or teeth. He could only see the edges of one or two and it was all he could do to keep from reaching out and pulling Alex’s collar to the side for him to investigate. 

“Just taking the air. You should try one of these beers Michael brought. Blood and honey. They taste almost like the real thing,” she said, her tone making Michael sure this was a private joke between them. 

“Sure, I’ll try one. Mind if I sit?” Alex said, motioning to the bench. Michael had barely said ‘Sure’ before he felt Alex squeezing his body in between his and Maria’s. 

“Rude,” Maria commented under her breath as she scooted over to the far side of the bench. Michael saw Alex shoot her a shark’s smile before turning to take the newly opened beer out of Michael’s hand. He took a long pull from it before looking over at Michael. This close Michael could feel the slight coolness to his skin and smell the dry, herbal scent of his soap. He laid his arm along the back of the bench and tried to concentrate on the conversation instead of leaning forward to bury his nose in his hair and breathe him in deeply. 

“This is really good, thanks,” Alex said, leaning back so Michael could feel the tickle of his long hair against the inside of his elbow. Michael knew he was far too aware of how much of Alex was touching him and how closely Maria seemed to be scrutinizing them.

“No problem. Where’s Forrest?” Michael asked, trying to ignore the way Alex’s pinky just barely grazed his thigh from where it rested on his leg. 

“Inside. Mingling. Getting drunk. Being Forrest,” Alex said, seeming unconcerned. Maria snorted and held out the blunt across Alex to Michael. He waved it off. He was on the cusp of  _ too _ high and he didn’t want to start leaning onto Alex and falling asleep when he’d only been at the party for less than an hour.

“Shouldn’t you be keeping your boyfriend company?” Maria asked a little pointedly. 

“No, he can take care of himself. He has his own friends here too. What about you? Didn’t you invite some young morsel for yourself tonight?” he asked, his body turning towards hers and pressing closer to Michael’s. It felt like too much and not enough. Michael took another sip of beer and tried to tune out their conversation. 

“You know what we should do? Shots.” Michael announced out of nowhere, interrupting their sniping at one another to put forth his suggestion. Alex and Maria both turned to him in shock, but Michael was already standing and heading inside. He very suddenly knew he was the topic of their pointed conversation and he wanted nothing more than for them to speak plainly to one another while he found a bottle of hard liquor. 

\---

As soon as the back door closed behind Michael, Alex turned back to Maria. 

“You can  _ not _ have him,” he hissed, voice low and dangerous as he looked her straight in the eye. 

“And why can’t I?” she asked tartly. “You already have someone. The one walked around a little bow-legged with the blue hair? Ring any bells? Sure as shit knows who you are if the screams this afternoon are anything to go by…”

Alex flushed in anger and embarrassment. Forrest  _ had _ gotten loud that afternoon. It had spurred Alex on in the heat of the moment, but afterwards it had seemed like it was only half genuine. He didn’t know if Michael had heard, but if Maria had heard… Well, sound traveled weirdly in the house so it was possible everyone  _ but _ Michael had heard Forrest moaning and whining as Alex plowed him. The little shit had dug his nails in and scratched deep furrows down Alex’s chest as if he were marking his territory. 

“Michael is… someone special to me. I don’t know if he’s my curse or my soulmate or what, but I’ve met him in 3 of his past lifetimes and killed him each time. I’m trying my damnedest to not kill him in this one even though Fate seems to have a cruel sense of humor. I don’t care if you fuck him, but I don’t want him knowing about vampires or getting accidentally thralled to you or Jenna. Maria, I know it’s not fair but if I can’t have him, I don’t want another vampire to have him either. If the last century of friendship has meant anything to you, just leave him alone,” Alex asked, refusing to think of what he was doing as begging. Maria studied him for a moment before her posture softened and she nodded. 

“Fine. I won’t bite him and I’ll tell Jenna not to either,” she said, seeming a little disappointed. 

“Thank you,” he replied, reaching over and squeezing her hand. She kept hold of it and grasped it between her own. 

“Does Forrest know?” she asked, looking at him seriously. 

“Does Forrest know what?” he asked, dumbly. 

“About everything you just told me! You know he has to know something is up. He’s fairly observant and you don’t look at Michael like a quick snack or fuck. Is that what all that theatrical moaning was about today? Because I hear you guys fuck fairly often and he’s usually enthusiastic, but not operatic like that.” Alex blushed a little and cleared his throat before answering. 

“He’s… been acting a little jealous,” Alex admitted quietly. 

“You know he’s thralled to you, right? Y’all have been dating for two years? Shared blood half a dozen times at least? You won’t be able to get rid of him easily and you may have to kill him to do it at all,” she commented before taking a sip of her beer and watching him over the lip. 

“He’s not thralled to me. He’s just like that. I’m not planning on getting rid of him. Michael will be done with school in two years and he’ll move away somewhere. I just have to leave him alone until then,” Alex reasoned, taking his hand back from Maria so he could hug his knees up to his chest. 

“Sure, sure. You just have to leave him alone for two years… someone you might have a soul bond with who lives right above you and walks around just begging to be held down and bitten… Okay. Good luck with that,” Maria said sarcastically, watching him. Alex groaned and laid his forehead against his knees. He was fucked and they both knew it.

__

  
  
  



	5. Never thought you'd make perspire

Plain Springs was a college town. It had niche little shops, a high-end and middle-end grocery store, flea markets galore, and a variety of different bars. Most of these things centered near the campus for easy access, but a little further out where the locals stayed, some gems emerged. Michael found himself within a week after the first parlor party to be accepted into the social circle of the Covered Hills house. At any point of the day it seemed, there was someone awake and available to hang out with. All Michael had to do was wander down to the porch or knock on a door. Within the first month of living there, he’d figured out everyone’s schedules. Hanging out usually consisted of a couple of them going out onto one of the large front porches and drinking as night fell around them, but occasionally they decided to go out. 

Liz and Alex liked to take Michael to the Cold Creek Tavern. "Cold Creek" as it was usually called was a small wooden building that resembled a sea shack in the middle of a wheat field by ancient train tracks. There were no creeks nearby yet the interior sported canoes and mounted fish along its dark paneled walls. There was a small stage set under the stairs that lead up to a loft for playing pool or making out. The bar was only twelve feet long and though the Cold Creek had a kitchen, it only seemed to produce food for the owner and the bands that played. The best thing about Cold Creek was that it had a knack for booking very good music with a reasonable door charge. The worst thing was that if you met your ex there, you would never escape them because no dissolution of a relationship was worth losing Cold Creek visitation privileges. 

Maria and Kyle liked to take Michael to the Dizzy Dish which was a Irish joint that served truffle-oil-everything and was known for very good cocktails. She always made him dress a little nicer for these outings so he wouldn't look like a charity case. He found that Kyle was an okay guy away from the house and that Maria, despite being in a relationship, was a shark. She flirted with everyone from the bartender to the chicks hitting on Michael or Kyle. She’d disappear into bathrooms for ten or fifteen minutes and then come back with her lipstick smudged looking like the cat who got the cream. Michael was a little in awe of her talents. 

Jenna, even after a month of living in the house, was a mystery to Michael. He'd met her on several occasions but she'd just given him a stuff nod in acknowledgement and gone about her business. She worked at the only hotel bar in the city and left right after sunset and didn't come home until Michael had already called it a night. Maria said working at the bar gave her a bad taste for men, but it paid too well to quit. 

The day that Max finally arrived with his Jeep stuffed with boxes of Michael's things was sweltering. September didn't feel any cooler to Michael than August had and he didn't relish unpacking the car. It was just past dusk when he and Max were finishing up their last load and both men were soaked in sweat from the repetitive treks up and down the stairs with heavy boxes. Michael stripped off his shirt as he stood by Max's jeep in an attempt to cool off. When it only seemed to make him feel stickier with drying sweat and dust, he poured half a bottle of water over his head. 

"Dios mio, Mikey! You look like a Coca Cola ad!" Liz's voice called out from the porch. Michael wiped the sweat and water from his eyes and grinned over at her and whipped his head back and forth in an exaggerated manner until sodden curls clung to the sides of his face. Her laughter made it worth it and he pushed the hair off his face and started over to where she was standing on the porch. 

"Good to know those trips to the gym with Valenti are doing me some good," he called back to her before half stuffing his wet t-shirt into the back pocket of his jeans. He motioned for Max to follow him. Max barely seemed to register him as he stared at Liz, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. Michael mentally rolled his eyes. He'd called that one all right. He moved over towards the porch knowing Max was following along behind. He gave Liz a hug just to hear her squeal about how disgusting he was and push him away. Liz reminded him of Izzy sometimes and felt like a replacement sister to him. He stepped back and indicated Max with a wave. 

"Liz, this is my brother Max. Max, this is Liz. She's also in the engineering department," Michael said easily, moving away from Liz to lean against the porch railing. Max stepped up the stairs and greeted Liz like he was a nervous suitor coming to court her. He looked bashful and she looked flattered and it would've absolutely been too much for Michael if Alex hadn't walked out of the house while they were still mumbling pleasantries at each other. Michael had to ignore the rush of excitement at seeing Alex. He should be used to seeing him, should be used to how he looked gorgeous every single time, but he wasn’t. His stomach still flipped and his entire body drew in a little tighter as he looked over all the perfect pieces that made up the man in front of him. He’d never felt so attracted to someone and it worried him since it didn’t seem like Alex and Forrest were going to break up anytime soon.

As the storm door swung closed behind him, Alex stepped up behind Liz as if politely waiting for her to finish her conversation. When it was obvious she didn’t even register him, he looked curiously at Max and then his gaze found Michael. His eyes seemed to darken as his eyes ran up and down Michael’s wet torso, pausing at some spots before moving up to his face. The look felt like an intimate touch across his skin. Michael liked having this effect on Alex, liked knowing he felt something towards him as well, even if it was just lust. Michael threw Alex a smug grin and a cheeky wink that made Alex laugh slightly. It dispelled the tension between them enough for him to come closer. He left Liz and Max to their eye fucking and came over to stand in front of Michael, hands shoved into the pockets of his rolled up linen pants. 

"Who's the tall dude?" Alex asked, throwing a thumb over his shoulder towards Max. Michael wasn’t sure he could handle Alex being so close to him. He wanted to widen his legs and pull Alex in between them. He always wanted to, always wanted an excuse to touch the other man. He forced his mind back to the conversation. 

"My brother Max. He dropped off all my books and towels and shit finally. Y'all going out tonight?" Michael asked, trying to act casual as he stood in front of Alex. Alex always smelled like green, herbaceous things and old books. It made Michael want to nuzzle his face into his chest or neck and just breathe deeply to try and pick out all the different scents that clung to him. He wanted to know which was him and which was soap or laundry detergent. 

"Yeah. Guerilla Gorilla is playing tonight. We thought we'd catch em. Forrest is working and I don’t wanna stay home," Alex explained, seeming a little shy as he watched Michael in only fleeting glances. His body twisted slightly like he was trying to keep everyone in front of him at all times. When he finally stood still, he stared and seemed to be fascinated by Michael's clavicle while he waited for him to speak. 

"At Cold Creek?" Michael asked, wondering if he would be intruding to invite himself along. He liked the dark little bar with its bathrooms wallpapered in band stickers and sharpie. He liked seeing Alex flushed from dancing and getting a little too drunk. 

"Yeah. They're on last if you guys are looking for something to do in a bit," Alex replied, dragging his eyes up from Michael’s chest to finally meet his eyes again. He bit his lip nervously as he waited for Michael’s response. 

“Yeah, I’ll ask Max if he wants to go. We’re going to have to shower though. I’m sure I smell disgusting right now,” Michael said, turning and sniffing at his shoulder. 

“No, you smell like…” Alex started, taking an involuntary step forward before he stopped and looked surprised that he’d even spoken. 

“I smell like?” Michael asked, fingers almost cramping with the need to grab Alex’s waist and pull him closer. 

“You smell like rain,” Alex finished, voice small and embarrassed. Michael sat dumbstruck. He’d never heard that description of his smell before. They stood there awkwardly, a foot too close for it to be casual between them, but far enough apart that only they could feel the magnetic draw between them. 

“Hey Michael, Liz says there’s a band playing tonight. You down?” Max called over, saving both him and Alex from the growing energy between them. Alex stepped back and out of the way so Michael could see Max clearly. 

“Yeah, Alex was just sayin’. If you want to go, we’ll go. Just gotta take a shower first,” he answered back. Max smiled brightly and looked back at Liz, the excitement apparent in his face and kind of sweet. Michael turned back to Alex.

“Y’all waiting on us or do you want to meet there?” Michael asked, pushing off the railing to stand. It brought him close enough to appreciate the lighter flecks of brown in Alex’s dark eyes. Alex opened his mouth to answer when Liz spoke up behind him. 

“We’ll wait, right, Alex?” she said, looking over at Alex to check if he agreed even though she’d already made the decision for them. When Alex nodded, she continued, “One of you can borrow Alex’s or my shower if you want?”

“Max, you take my shower,” Michael said automatically. He watched his brother and Liz comically deflate a little. “Or you could use Liz’s if you want…”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll use yours,” Max replied awkwardly, giving Liz an almost apologetic look. Michael was starting to wonder if it was worth making up the futon for tonight. 

“You can use mine,” Alex said quietly from next to him. Michael looked up, a little surprised, and nodded. They held each other’s eye for a long moment before Michael shook himself out of the trance. 

“Thanks,” Michael said, patting Alex’s shoulder as he side stepped him towards the stairs up to his backdoor. He’d hoped the gesture would appear affectionate, but instead it felt forced. He and Alex didn’t touch much and it showed as he drew back his hand and tried to forget how muscular Alex felt through his black band tee. 

“Right. Come on Max, let me get you a towel and stuff. Alex, I’ll be down in about five?” Alex nodded in agreement and Michael trudged up the stairs towards his back door feeling exactly how tired his legs were after the last few hours. 

\---

Alex liked being pleasantly hammered. He liked feeling floaty and warm and enjoyed how the colors started to push and pull together. He’d had 300 years to find the perfect level of drunk for himself and pleasantly hammered always won by a landslide. He was sitting on a barstool waiting for Michael...and Liz and Max, he reminded himself. Michael, Liz, and Max. They were settling their tabs and saying goodbye to the friends they’d run into during the show. The lights had been turned on in the previously darkened bar to make everyone scurry like cockroaches back out into the forgiving night. Alex cupped his head in his hand and thought about how thirsty he was for something other than vodka, wine, or gin. He liked being pleasantly hammered, but he liked fucking, feeding, and being pleasantly hammered all at the same time more. 

A warm hand settled on his shoulder and without thinking Alex leaned his head over to nuzzle against it. The smell of rain and spilled whiskey filled Alex’s nose and he felt Michael’s hand land on his opposite shoulder as well. 

“Come on, handsome. Time to go home,” Michael said quietly close to Alex’s ear. The rush of heat that went through Alex’s body at his words was startling in its intensity. He tried to play it off by laughing and snapping his teeth near the hand on his shoulder, but he couldn’t deny his body’s response. Michael jerked his hand back and grinned down at Alex who had swung around on his stool to face him.

“Where’s Max and Liz?” Alex asked, looking for their other two companions. He glanced towards Michael who was looking a little embarrassed and nervous or some reason. 

“They, uh… went ahead. I didn’t figure you wanted to see what I saw so I let them take the car. It’s only two miles to the house. I figured we could walk? If not, I’ll order an Uber or something,” Michael hastily explained. He grimaced like he’d seen way more of his brother than he ever cared to and Alex smiled a little sadly. He hadn’t seen his brother in so long, but he remembered walking in on him in compromising positions a few times before… Well, before. 

“Yeah, we can walk. Might be good for me,” Alex reasoned. He climbed off the stool a little unsteadily and headed towards the exit with Michael in tow. The sweltering day had turned into a humid, sticky night. The air felt thick to walk through as they headed down the road in the direction of their house. They walked in silence, the screaming crickets and cicadas loud drowning out the slap of their shoes against the pavement. The neighborhood around them was row after row of darkened windows and yellow street lights bleaching the night of most of its color. 

“Jesus, I grew up in the desert, but this heat is insane,” Michael said behind him, huffing slightly as they crested a long, steep hill. Alex paused and looked back at him beneath one of the street lamps. Michael was shimmering with sweat almost like he had been that afternoon. An idea came to Alex that he knew was reckless, but pleasantly hammered was never his best state to make decisions in. Quickly, he grabbed his shirt and shucked it off his body. 

“You’re right, it’s too fucking hot,” he commented as Michael stared at him with wide eyes. Alex could see his adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, eyes traveling down the new expanse of skin that Alex had decided to expose. 

“Right, it is,” Michael replied weakly. Alex looked at him expectantly before laughing, perhaps a little too loudly for the lateness of the hour. 

“You going to let me be the only one wandering around with a shirt?” Alex asked, walking back over to where Michael was nervously fingering the hem of his tee. Alex gently pushed his hands away and grabbed the edges with his own, pulling it up. Michael obediently raised his arms and let Alex remove his shirt for him. Losing his balance a little, Alex laughed as he stumbled forward into Michael’s body, their chests pressing and Michael’s arms immediately coming around his shoulders to catch him. Alex righted himself, still grinning, and tossed the shirt at Michael’s chest. He had to scramble to catch it since he’d still been lightly holding onto Alex’s shoulders to make sure he was steady again. 

Alex stood and looked over Michael once again. Without thinking, he moved his hand forward and placed it in the center of his chest. The soft curls on Michael’s chest were like a memory and a dream. He moved his hand back and forth gently, his fingers combing through the hair as he stared in fascination. His eyes felt hot as he remembered the last time he’d been able to touch him like this. All at once it was everything Alex could do to remember that this Michael now didn’t know him. He didn’t know about the hours they’d spent in different lives learning each other’s bodies better than their own. Regretfully, he let his hand drop heavily off Michael’s chest to slap against his own leg. 

“You okay?” Michael asked, stepping closer into Alex’s space and shielding him from all the other night animals as he spoke. Alex gave him a sad smile, his brain still gripped tightly in nostalgia, and he nodded.

“Yeah, let’s keep going,” Alex said, turning and starting towards the house again. He felt Michael only a step or two behind him the whole way. 

\---

Michael stepped into his blissfully cool apartment. No noises issued from his office and he didn’t see any clothes littering the hallway floor so he assumed Max was down at Liz’s. Kicking off his shoes, Michael didn’t stop until walking until he was in the bathroom turning on the shower to luke warm. His skin itched with dried sweat and cigarette smoke from the bar and the long walk home. He dumped the rest of his clothes at his feet before stepping into the cubicle shower and almost moaning in ecstasy at the cool water on his body. Mindlessly he rubbed his chest and his mind thought back to the weird exchange between him and Alex in the middle of the road on Dempsey. Michael’s heart had been in his throat at this careless, chaotic, drunk Alex that had stripped his shirt off of him without a word and then touched his chest… somehow intimately? It had felt like something they’d done a million times. Michael could almost see how the scene would play out in another life, how Alex would step closer until their stomachs pressed together and they could fit the pieces of themselves against each other as they kissed until they would die from lack of air. It had felt so strange and wonderful just to feel his skin against Michael’s in such a small way… but he’d been drunk. Drunk or not, he was still dating Forrest. He’d been relieved when Alex had stepped away because Michael wasn’t sure he would have stopped him if he’d kept moving closer to him. 

Michael shut off the water once he’d gotten the worst of the night’s sweat and smells off of him. He pulled on a pair of thin cotton boxers and flopped gracelessly onto his bed. Sleep came fast despite the buzzing of thoughts in his mind. That night, in the few hours left before dawn breached the horizon, he dreamed once again of Alex. 

_Michael stood in his tiny apartment’s kitchen preparing dinner in front of an open window. The night outside was loud in his ears, full of cicadas and tree frogs singing their summer songs, and the slight evening breeze did little to stop him from sweating as he worked. Large, cubed chunks of wet, bloody muscle marbled with fat sat on the cutting board and his knife slid through as if he were cutting butter. He laid the knife down and wiped at his slick brow with the back of his hand, trying to push back the curls. A cool pair of hands wrapped around his torso and he felt a familiar body press into his back._

_“You’re so cold,” Michael commented, moaning at how good the cool figure behind him felt where it pressed against his overheated skin._

_“It’s cooler in the bedroom,” Alex commented, his lips skimming over Michael’s naked shoulder. “I just came out for a drink.”_

_“I don’t have anything,” Michael responded sadly. Then an idea came to him, “Wait, I have these pomegranates.”_

_Michael moved away from Alex and went to grab a pomegranate from the fruit bowl on the counter. He took up his knife and held the fruit in his hand, pushing down to slice through its tough flesh. He felt the give of the fruit’s flesh too late, had too much force behind his hand, and the knife slid through and into his palm. He cried out, dropping the fruit onto the counter and examining his hand. A long, perfect line through the center of his palm. As he watched, the blood started to well._

_“Michael, I’m thirsty, please...,” Alex whined behind him, pulling him around and backing him against the counter._

_“I don’t have anything, Alex. Fuck, this is really bleeding,” Michael commented, fascinated by the thick, dark liquid pooling in his cupped hand and starting to drip from his palm to run down his forearm to his elbow. Alex took his arm and raised it above their heads. “Oh, yeah, that’s a good idea. Should slow down the blee---Fuck!”_

_Alex had moved his mouth to the inside of Michael’s elbow where the blood had previously pooled and his tongue lapped at it. He pulled Michael’s arm down to him, his tongue following the trail of blood as he did so. Michael watched, his attention rapt at the smoothness of Alex’s tongue and the expression of ecstasy on his face as if he were tasting his favorite ice cream flavor. He followed the trail until he got to the wound on Michael’s hand. His already stained lips formed a seal around the inside of Michael’s palm and he felt a burst of pain as Alex sucked and then licked the wound. The feeling which had started as weird, began to travel and suddenly the tug from Alex’s mouth on Michael’s hand felt like it was in time to the pounding of Michael’s heart and the throbbing in his cock. He looked down and saw where he was hard and leaking, a dark stain on the grey of the cotton of his gym shorts, and he didn’t understand it, didn’t understand why he wasn’t screaming or pushing Alex away._

_With a final suck and large pop, Alex drew back from Michael’s hand. His lips, tongue, and teeth were coated in the red from Michael’s blood and through his half open eyes, Michael could see his pupils were blown so wide there was only a sliver of dark brown ringing them. Michael’s hand started to hurt, started to throb now that Alex’s mouth wasn’t on it, and Michael watched as the thin, red line started to well again. Alex ignored it, eyes now focused on Michael’s face, gaze pinning Michael in place, making him feel like he was in the presence of a lion preparing to pounce and not his hot, downstairs neighbor. He licked the blood from his teeth and lips like he was savoring it._

_“Alex, what… what are you…,” Michael started, pulling his hand out of Alex’s slackened grasp and cradling it to his chest. Alex’s hands slid under the wide band of Michael’s shorts and gave a quick push to send them to the floor around Michael’s feet. Before he could protest, Alex’s hands were under his ass and he was lifting him, pushing him to sit on the counter. “Wait, Alex! What are you doing?”_

_“I need more, Michael,” Alex replied in a deep, serious voice that made Michael’s insides turn to liquid. He hooked his hands behind Michael’s knees and pulled him to the edge of the counter. Michael’s hands flung out on instinct and he felt the soft, cold steak under one palm and the slick burst of pomegranate seeds under the other. Alex lowered to the floor between Michael’s legs, hands still secure behind Michael’s knees, his eyes still pinning Michael in place, keeping him from fighting. “I’m so thirsty.”_

_He mouthed at the sensitive, soft skin of Michael’s inner thigh, lips leaving traces of blood behind as they slid along the cut of muscle. Michael watched half in horror, half in lust as Alex licked at the skin with a broad, flat tongue. Alex’s eyes had drifted shut as he drew in a deep inhale of Michael’s scent, so close to the parts of him that were most primal and musky. His eyes opened like he was drugged, half hooded, and he looked up at Michael’s no doubt shocked face and smiled widely. That’s when Michael saw the teeth, saw that his canines had lengthened and he knew, he knew Alex was more than a man. He was a predator._

_“Alex, what are you doing?” Michael asked, trying to sound calm but noting the fear that had crept into his voice. His hands started to tighten on the counter, bits of meat and fruit sliding between his fingers as he tried to make fists. Alex continued to look up at him, cheek nuzzling against Michael’s thigh as he breathed in deeply. He seemed to be savoring the smell, savoring Michael’s warm flesh against his cheek, savoring Michael like an untouched gourmet meal._

_“I’m getting myself a drink,” Alex finally replied and before Michael could stop him, he watched as Alex opened his mouth wide and sank his teeth into Michael’s unresisting body. There was pain, hot and red behind Michael’s eyes as he felt his skin part around Alex’s too-sharp teeth, the blood rushing into his mouth, the sting of his tongue on fresh wounds... and then there was unequaled pleasure. Michael’s head fell back and he moaned at the waves rolling through his body of carnal delight. Dimly he wondered if he was feeling what Alex was feeling. He rolled his head onto his shoulder and reached down to run his fingers through Alex’s silky, dark hair. Alex pulled his mouth away from Michael’s thigh and looked up at him adoringly, canting into the pressure of Michael’s fingers against his scalp._

_“My love…” he whispered, eyes falling shut and head turning back to Michael’s unresisting flesh._


	6. Wishing to be the friction in your jeans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex shows his ass (metaphorically). Michael finds a surprise feature to his apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to give an everlasting thanks to PrimalMusic for beta'ing for me and of course to the 18+ Roswell NM discord for constantly keeping me informed, entertained, and inspired.
> 
> Also, tw/cw: at one point Michael touches Alex without asking. It makes sense in context to the scene but I don't wanna take anyone by surprise.
> 
> Tw/cw: Michael sees forlex being intimate and doesn't immediately look away, but he does admit to it later and apologize.

Max had moved in with Michael. Nothing official as far as Alex could tell, but a week later and the tall, serious man was still stomping above Alex’s head every day while he slept and giggling across the hall every night. Forrest thought it was cute, and was happy that Liz had found someone so into her that she was obviously into as well. Forrest invited them over and they all hung out and were couple-y together. It’d been a week since Alex had seen more than a passing glance of Michael and he was acutely aware that he should not be able to identify that. He tried not to think of it as Liz and Max sat on the loveseat across from the chaise that he and Forrest were sharing. 

“So Max, are you being missed back in Roswell?” Forrest asked, his body leaning into Alex’s while he drank his beer and did his best to be charming. Alex had wrapped his arm around him automatically, enjoying the familiar weight of him pressing against his chest and the place where his hand automatically rested on Forrest’s hip. It felt comforting to feel Forrest’s thigh pressed alongside his. Alex watched Max with interest as he flushed for a moment before answering Forrest’s question.

“Uh, I guess a little. I’m a deputy with the sheriff’s department down there. I was shot a couple weeks ago and I’m on the last of my paid medical leave,” he explained in his slow, deprecating manner. Liz and Forrest both gasped and leaned forward at his admission, each bombarding him with questions about how it had happened. Alex tuned out a little and leaned back against the wall, glancing up at the hole in his ceiling that led up to Michael’s apartment. He wondered what Michael was up to up there. He’d heard his footsteps earlier as he went into the sunroom and he hadn’t heard him since. Was he working on something? Was he sleeping in there or in the bedroom?

“Alex! Babe,” Forrest’s voice cut into his thoughts. He jerked his eyes forward and saw the group staring at him, Forrest’s expression a little annoyed. Alex sat back up. 

“Sorry, what?” he answered, looking around at the group. Forrest’s eyes were narrowed and he looked up quickly and Alex knew he’d seen the hole in the ceiling. Who knew what Forrest would make of Alex’s inattention to the conversation in favor of staring up at the floor of Michael’s apartment.

“Max said he was thinking about seeing if the police department up here needed any help, but he’d need a place to stay. I mentioned the carriage house out back and asked what you thought about renovating it into another tenant space,” Forrest said in a voice that made it obvious he was having to repeat himself and he wasn’t particularly happy about it. Alex’s mind went blank for a moment as he tried to think about what Forrest was referring to. 

“You mean the garage?!” he asked, thinking of the 400 square foot wooden shell that Alex hadn’t even opened since he’d bought the house five years earlier. 

“It’s a carriage house. It shouldn’t be too hard to bring up to snuff. It’s already got electric and plumbing out there,” Forrest reasoned, giving Max an embarrassed smile at Alex’s continued furrowed brow of mystification. 

“It does?” Alex asked, feeling a little out of sorts. He had no idea that space was anything but a spider habitat. 

“I wouldn’t want to put y’all to any trouble. Maybe tomorrow I can go look at it with Michael in the light of day and see if it’s doable,” Max interjected. Alex looked over at him, looked at how much hope he was trying to hide at the idea of having a place to stay there near Liz. He’d just met her, but you could see that he was already gone for her. It made Alex’s heart clench a little at the thought. 

“I can’t do it during the day. I’ll let Kyle know about it though and he can meet you out there sometime. He manages the property anyway so he might have a better sense than I would. But… are you sure? Have you talked to Michael at all about this?” Alex asked, trying not to see the simultaneous wince of Forrest and Max at Michael’s name. 

“I haven’t yet, but he’s my brother. He’d let me stay for a little while,” Max responded, trying to sound confident even as he shot a worried glance towards the ceiling. Alex very much doubted Michael would be happy about it. The apartment upstairs was barely big enough for one person, much less two when mutually assured orgasms weren’t in play, but Max knew Michael better than he did and it would be his problem either way. Before Alex could respond further, Liz interjected. 

“I think it’s about time for Max and I to head out. It’s getting kind of late,” she said, standing and tugging Max to stand with her. Alex gave her a questioning look and she gave a brief glance towards Forrest before linking her hand with Max’s and tugging him towards the door. “Text me about when you get with Kyle.”

“No problem,” Alex replied, watching them disappear out of the door before inhaling a deep, fortifying breath and turning his attention to Forrest who was affecting a forced casual air. Alex wasn’t sure what to do. He had no clue how he’d misstepped this one. Forrest finished his glass of wine and got up to presumably take it to the kitchen. 

“So what did I do?” Alex asked, grabbing Forrest’s empty hand and tugging him to stand between his knees. Forrest’s face was stormy as he looked down at Alex. Sighing, Alex took the wine glass out of his hand and set it on the floor at the foot of the chaise before holding both of Forrest’s hands in his. “I’m not a mindreader. What did I do wrong here tonight?”

“I can’t believe you forgot about the carriage house,” Forrest said sulkily. Alex sighed and leaned forward, pressing his head into Forrest’s stomach so he could rack his brain in peace before continuing. He really didn’t know what Forrest was talking about. 

“Well, I think I’ve only been out there like once? Why would I remember it?” Alex asked, looking back up into Forrest’s inscrutable face. He was so tan and handsome, his features looked carved out of marble by one of the masters, but it also shared the same air of mystery. Alex never knew what was going on behind those eyes. 

“The carriage house is how you and I met. I came asking for a place to rent and the house was full, so I asked about the carriage house. I even started working on it to turn it into an apartment before I found that place on Lee. I talked about it all the time and showed you pictures of my progress and everything… how do you  _ not _ remember the carriage house?” Forrest asked, obviously deeply hurt. Alex held his gaze as he cast back in his memory. 

He remembered meeting Forrest late in the afternoon, past sunset during the late fall when it was dark by four p.m. He remembered being taken with his dark hair and eyes and the angles of his features. He remembered their first few dates. He remembered the night he revealed he was a vampire to him… but the carriage house just doesn’t seem to be anywhere in those memories connected to him. Alex decided to skew his response towards flattery. Forrest wasn’t stupid, he’d see through it, but maybe it would get him to drop the subject.

“I just remember being so incredibly distracted by how beautiful you are that I blocked everything else out. I couldn’t keep my eyes off your face,” Alex said, standing up and cradling Forrest’s face in his hands as he did. “I couldn’t stop watching the way your lips moved when you spoke or your hands. I was obsessed with the movement of your body and how strong you seemed. You had my full attention the whole time.”

Forrest sighed through his nose, still a little ticked off, but let Alex lean in to kiss him. Alex brushed his lips over Forrest’s twice with no response before he finally relented and opened up to him. Alex kept the kisses sweet and shallow as he tried to distract Forrest from his annoyance with him. He felt Forrest’s hand brush his hip and then cup him through his jeans. 

“It sounds like I had  _ his _ full attention,” Forrest said, squeezing Alex gently, before bringing both his hands to Alex’s shirt to pull it over his head. Alex chuckled at being called out and kissed Forrest again as soon as the fabric was free of him. 

“Well, you always have  _ his _ full attention,” Alex replied on a sigh as Forrest’s broad, thick-fingered hands worked on the button of his jeans. He stopped and looked up at Alex sharply. 

“Do I?” he asked, sounding unsure as his eyes darted up towards Michael’s apartment for only the briefest millisecond before focusing back on Alex’s. Alex felt a stab of guilt go through him. This fixation he had on Michael wasn’t fair to Forrest and it wasn’t fair to him. 

“You do. I’m yours,” Alex said, pushing Forrest’s hands away from his pants long enough to kiss him and liberate him of his own shirt. “Let me show you.”

\---

Wind howled outside, rattling the house’s old window panes and making the trees thrash and creak around the neighborhood. There was no rain, no thunder, no lightning, only great noise and movement whipping around the night as if the earth had suddenly started to turn faster at 3 a.m. on a Thursday in late September. The wind was bringing cooler air with it, but it hadn’t reached Nebraska yet. Michael woke to the unnatural silence of the house around him and an absolute darkness he hadn’t known since leaving New Mexico. He sat up in bed and immediately tried to turn on his lamp, listening to the ineffectual clicking of the nob as he tried it three times to see if he had power. When it was apparent he didn’t, he tried to lay back down and go back to sleep. Too soon the warm night air started to overheat his apartment. He pushed off his covers, then the sheets, and finally his shirt. Too hot to sleep, he wandered around his apartment opening windows so the air would at least be moving, even if it was still warmer than he wanted. 

Aware that he wouldn’t be getting any sleep until the power returned or it got cooler, he escaped to his office. He opened all the windows in the room and flopped gracelessly onto his futon. Michael closed his eyes and listened to the many pitches of the wind bending around the house and through the tree branches. He tried to let the sound lull him to sleep. After twenty minutes, frustration pushed into anger. He had class the next day, he needed his sleep! Huffing out a tired sigh, he rubbed at his forehead and eyes with the heels of his hand and looked around the dark room while considering if he had any benadryl, whiskey, or both to help him sleep. His eyes snagged on a spot of light hitting the baseboards near the door into the inner apartment. Furrowing his brow, he sat up and blinked a few times to make sure he wasn’t imagining it. When it didn’t go away, Michael climbed off of the futon and moved over the floor towards it. On closer inspection, he found that he had a round hole in his floor. It was on the portion of the room that had once been part of the inner house before someone had moved the wall back to make the sun porch into a larger space. This close he could hear faint sounds coming through the opening and he bent his ear nearer to see if he could figure out what they were. It sounded like voices, but they were so faint compared to the wind that Michael couldn’t make out what they were saying. He turned to see if he could see anything through the hole. 

Alex.

Michael first just saw Alex’s chest, the broad expanse of his skin glimmering with sweat, the dark rose of his nipples, chest lightly dusted with dark, trimmed hair, his throat arched, eyes closed and brow slightly drawn in concentration. He was lying on the red chaise in his living room and Michael’s eyes roved hungrily over the sight of him until he noticed the movement slightly lower down. Alex’s hand was threaded lightly through dark blue hair that was bobbing rhythmically over his groin. Michael felt a flush of shock and embarrassed arousal go through him as his eyes quickly took in the backside of an equally naked Forrest. He couldn’t blame Alex for his taste, Forrest looked pretty good naked and he seemed to give serviceable head if Alex’s expression was anything to go by. Alex had one foot resting on the ground while the other one… the other one wasn’t there! Michael forgot all about not looking, forgot all about how hot the activity going on below him was, forgot everything and stared at Alex’s residual limb. It looked…  _ it was the exact same leg that was taken off in his dream _ ! It had to be, but how had Michael not known that Alex was missing part of his right leg? Michael knew without a doubt that he’d never seen any indication that Alex had a prosthesis or residual limb, but here was the reality of it and in his dream, he’d known. How had he known? 

Michael jumped and pushed away from the hole in his floor guiltily as Alex moaned loudly below him and he realized he was still staring at his neighbor having sex without his knowledge. Looking around, Michael grabbed the first thick book he could get his hand on and covered the hole in the floor with it before moving back to the futon. His mind was spinning as he went through all the weeks of interacting with Alex and wondered if he’d ever glimpsed his prosthesis or subconsciously picked up a limp or anything that would explain how he’d known. 

He also thought about how he would tell Alex about his untimely discovery of the hole between their apartments. What if he asked if he’d seen anything? What if he was mad? His ruminations finally lulled him to sleep once the wind started to blow slightly cooler air through the room. The pink edges of dawn peeked through the clouds on the horizon and his phone screen chirped to life as the power was restored around the neighborhood. He wouldn’t hear his alarm from the office, but he was being pulled down quickly towards sleep and towards dreams so he didn’t care.

\---

Alex woke up the next evening pleasantly sore from his all night activities with Forrest. It’d been a while since they’d made love multiple times in a night. The previous evening had started out as a way for Alex to cement his commitment to Forrest, but it had turned into something else. It had turned into rediscovering pleasure. Alex could fondly remember waking up feeling like this multiple times a week during the Belle Epoque in France. Smiling to himself at the memories, Alex stretched his limbs and rolled out of bed to go into his kitchen. He was filling his bathtub when he heard a loud knocking at his door. Sighing, he threw a robe on over his naked body and walked through his apartment to answer the door. When he opened it, he found Michael standing on his threshold looking nervous and a little flushed. He looked at Alex in surprise and his eyes traveled down and over his dark blue robe until they snapped back to Alex’s face and Alex caught the edges of a guilty expression. 

“Hey, can I come in for a minute?” Michael asked, a little out of breath. “It will only take a second really, but if you’re busy I can come back later?”

Alex studied him for a moment. He looked like a rabbit about to bolt from a wolf. Curious as to what was making him act so strangely, Alex moved aside and let him in. 

“Give me a minute. I was running water for a bath. Let me go shut it off,” Alex said over his shoulder as he headed back through his apartment to the bathroom. Michael nodded, his eyes on his feet. Alex shut off the water and looked at himself in the mirror. He wasn’t sporting any hickeys or scratches that Michael would be able to see around the edges of his robe. The open folds didn’t even dip very far down to show off his chest so he didn’t think it was his partial nudity making Michael so flighty. Shaking his head, Alex ran a hand through his hair to tousle it attractively before leaving. 

When Alex returned, Michael was still standing in the middle of his living room, his hands behind his back. He looked like a child in a museum. It struck Alex that they had only been alone together in his apartment once before and even then, Liz or his brother could wander in at any time. This was the first time they’d been alone together without anyone knowing or any planned interruptions. It felt like a dangerous thing, a temptation he wasn’t sure he could resist. 

“Why don’t you sit down?” Alex asked, indicating the chaise or sofa with his hand. Michael gave the chaise a faintly horrified look before choosing to sit on the loveseat. Alex sat next to him and turned his body towards him. Their knees pressed together and Alex stretched his arm across the back of the sofa in an effort to calm Michael down with his own casualness. “Now what is going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“I, uh… no. I wanted to let you know that there’s a, uhm.. A hole between our apartments? It's in the floor of my office and it’s in your ceiling over there,” Michael said, eyes only meeting Alex’s briefly before his cheeks infused with a deep blush. Alex could immediately guess why MIchael was blushing so hard and a perverse part of him wondered which part exactly he’d witnessed. That chaise had seen a lot of action the previous night with Alex in many, many compromising positions. It made a gentle tick of excitement stir in Alex’s blood to think of Michael upstairs watching him and Forrest and getting turned on by it. 

“Oh? See something you didn’t expect?” Alex asked in a teasing voice. He wanted Michael to know he wasn’t mad at him and get rid of some of the tension that was rolling off his body. Instead of answering, Michael reached out and pushed the side of Alex’s robe open over his right leg. He was wearing his prosthesis at the moment, not planning to take it off until he was ready to slip into the water of his bath. Alex looked down at it and back at Michael in confusion. “My leg?”

“How… how did you lose it, if you don’t mind my asking?” Michael asked, fingers lightly tracing over the lip of Alex’s liner where it covered past the actual prosthetic socket. Alex watched his fingers, feeling at once hot and cold all over. He was suddenly aware of exactly how naked he was under the robe and how much of his leg was showing where Michael had pushed away the fabric. He cleared his throat in an attempt to redirect his thoughts from where they were inevitably straying. Michael’s hands were so very close to touching skin. He put his hand over Michael’s to stop his gentle exploration. 

“I was in an accident while on a camping trip. It couldn’t be saved, so it was amputated. It was a long, long time ago though. It doesn’t bother me much anymore. Did you not know I had a residual limb before your peep show?” Alex asked, watching Michael’s face as he did. Michael slid his hand out from under Alex’s and placed it on his own leg, nervously wiping his palms over his thighs and looking shamed by Alex’s words. Again Alex wondered exactly how much he’d seen...

“I… I had a dream about you a while ago where I saw you lose the leg to a monster. I thought it was just a weird detail in a dream. It kinda freaked me out when I discovered that somehow I knew about your leg without knowing about your leg, ya know?” Michael said, pushing the words out and giving Alex a pleading look for him to understand. Alex shut his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nose. So they  _ had _ shared the memory dream of his change and the first time he’d met Michael. He let out the breath slowly and counted to ten before opening his eyes to look at Michael. He could hear how much Michael wanted to understand how he could’ve known something without having been exposed to it previously. Alex wondered how the echoes of the past felt in Michael’s mind, locked away behind all the other lives his soul had lived before coming here.

“It’s not a big deal, Michael. Sometimes the brain picks up on things that we’re not aware of. Maybe there was some subconscious clue that tipped your brain off to me possibly being legless. I don’t know. But it’s not a big deal, I mean… I’ve been like this a long time. It doesn’t bother me that you’ve seen it. Does it weird you out?” Alex asked, this time feeling his own bout of nerves. Michael shook his head emphatically, hand reaching out to touch Alex’s leg. Alex felt his breath hitch when the tips of Michael’s fingers pushed past the edge of his liner and touched the bare skin of his thigh. He didn’t even know if Michael was aware of where he was touching Alex’s actual skin, his eyes were boring into Alex’s with intensity.

“No, no. It doesn’t bother me at all. It just… with the dream… the connection just weirded me out. But the actual limb doesn’t bother me at all,” he explained hastily. “You’re still you. I don’t even know why I brought up the dream. Really, I just wanted you to know there was a hole in your ceiling. I didn’t want you to find out about it later and think I’d been spying on you.”

Michael stood up abruptly, nervous energy pouring out of him, and after giving Alex a tight smile he started towards the door. Alex followed after him, stopping him with a hand on his arm before he could open the door to leave. He could feel fine tremors running through the muscles. He was in his usual uniform of tight jeans and a t-shirt. Alex had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from doing what he wanted to do. He wanted to let the robe fall from his shoulders onto the floor. He wanted to step forward and press his body down the back of Michael’s. He wanted to tease Michael with words and soft touches until he lost control. He wanted to push him onto his living room floor and work all that nervous energy out of his system… ‘ _ No one would have to know…’ _ a dark part of his brain pleaded.  _ ‘It could just be this once…’ _

“I’ll tell Kyle about the hole. Someone may be in your apartment tomorrow or the next day to fill it. Is that okay?” Alex asked, daring to let his hand rest more firmly against Michael’s upper arm. He saw Michael’s curls dance as he nodded. It hurt that Michael wouldn’t look back at him. “Michael, I’m…”

Michael looked over his shoulder at him and Alex’s voice trailed off. He wasn’t  _ sorry _ , afterall, that Michael had seen him and Forrest, especially if it had him this worked up. He didn’t want to lie to him about anything if he could help it, but he could feel the electricity between them. He was playing a dangerous game and every second Michael stood inside his door with no one around to witness them was a second closer to one of them snapping. Alex dropped his hand and stepped back. 

“I’ll let you get on with your night. We’re doing a parlor party tomorrow night. See you then?” he asked, hugging himself and affecting a casual tone. 

“Yeah, I’ll see you guys then,” Michael responded, smiling sadly before opening the door and stepping through it. He turned once more to look at Alex before it closed and Alex felt the thread between them snap tighter than ever. After he was out of sight, Alex shut the door and locked it. He stood in his living room for a few minutes just breathing, just convincing his body that he wasn’t going to go masturbate to thoughts of Michael while he was still sex sore from fucking his boyfriend the night before. With an agitated huff at himself, Alex turned and went to drain the tub. He needed to put on some pants and find some other entertainment until Forrest arrived. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always begging for love and affection, I am. Whisper sweet nothings into my comment box (*is that what the kids are calling it now?*)


	7.  I try, but I get overwhelmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another memory dream and trouble in forlex paradise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to primalmusic for beta'ing! She's a gem in my heart of hearts.

Michael had trouble sleeping that night after his talk with Alex. It seemed that since he’d moved into the house, he went to bed later and later. He used to be up with the sun. Now, he always seemed to get caught up hanging out with Maria, Jenna and Alex late until the birds started waking up for the day. After his strange meeting with Alex over the hole in the floor, he stayed awake on his own. He gnawed on his feelings about the dreams he’d been having about Alex, about his leg, about his seeming indifference towards Michael having seen him and Forrest together in such an intimate way… Sleep didn’t come easy and when it did it instantly plunged him into a dream. 

\---

_ Alex lounged in his sitting room reading  _ _ A Hundred Leagues on the Amazon _ _ and enjoying the warmth from his fireplace. He’d recently been gifted the red velvet chaise lounge from one of his patrons and he was in love with it already. He paused every few paragraphs just to run one of his hands down the soft velvet and smile to himself over his good fortune.  _

__ _ His butler came in, livery crisp and impeccable as always, and stood by the door waiting to be addressed. He wouldn’t look Alex directly in the eye, believing the superstition that Alex would be able to control him if he did, but besides that he was sharp, efficient, and thoughtful.  _

__ _ “Yes, Jermaine?” Alex asked, addressing the butler without looking up from his book. It made Jermaine more comfortable that way.  _

__ _ “You have a visitor, Monsieur. He has a letter of introduction from Monsieur Battles of La Belle Nuit,” Jermaine explained concisely. Alex sighed, tired already of entertaining another tourist with more money than sense. He set down his book and swiveled on the chaise to stand. He was wearing a pair of white slacks with his dark blue robe over it. Briefly he thought about changing into something more appropriate for visitors, but decided he didn’t care.  _

__ _ “Alright, Jermaine. Show him in and then you and the other staff may retire for the night,” Alex said with an air of exhaustion. Jermaine nodded to him and then left without a word. Alex stretched luxuriously and walked over to the liquor cart to pour himself a glass of wine. The silk of his robe flared behind him as he walked, showing off the beautiful white and seafoam lilies embroidered on it. This was why he stayed in Paris, all the lovely things it brought him.  _

__ _ “Monsieur Geurin, sir,” Jermaine intoned behind him. A slight feeling of shock went through Alex’s body as he heard the last name. Steeling himself to another disappointment, he turned with his already patented mysterious smile already painted on his face. It threatened to slip when he saw that it wasn’t another disappointment in the door, but…  _ **_him._ **

**_“_ ** _ Monsieur Manes, thank you for agreeing to meet with me,” Michael said, bowing slightly. His hair was gelled back and his face was clean shaven which made him look years younger than he was, but those honey chocolate eyes were the same as they’d always been. Alex shook himself slightly when he realized he’d been frozen in place, too shocked to respond and that Michael was exchanging an unsure look with Jermaine.  _

__ _ “It’s no problem. Jermaine, you may go,” Alex replied, answering Michael and dismissing his butler perhaps a little more shortly than he normally would. Jermaine simply nodded and excused himself, leaving Alex there to stare at Michael in peace. Oh, he wanted nothing more than to run and touch him. He wanted to tousle those slicked back locks until they were free and haloed around his face.  _

__ _ “Would you like some wine?” Alex asked automatically, moving to gesture towards the drink cart. Michael gave him a nervous smile before answering.  _

__ _ “Sure, sure. Do you have whiskey? I’m not much for wine,” Michael asked, stepping forward towards the cart. Another warm curl of recognition flared in Alex’s gut at his admission.  _

__ _ “Of course,” Alex replied, picking up the whiskey decanter and pouring a couple fingers’ worth into a highball glass. Michael thanked him and they stood and sipped their respective drinks for a moment, eyeing each other. Alex checked out the cut of Michael’s evening suit, the quality of fabric used for his bosom guard, the material of his buttons. He studied his hands and his teeth as he smiled nervously. This life was treating him decently well. He obviously wasn’t rich, but he wasn’t destitute. Alex was glad he was generally okay.  _

__ _ “Would you like to sit, Mr. Guerin?” Alex asked, indicating the chaise and club chairs nearby. Michael cocked an eyebrow at him.  _

__ _ “Mister is it? What happened to Monsieur?” he asked, his tone teasing a little as he went over and sat on the end of the chaise. Alex smirked and followed him, sitting near the head of the chaise and turning his body so he could face him.  _

__ _ “Your American accent is so thick, it’s cloying. Mister just seemed more appropriate. Are you less charmed by it? Do you need me to call you monsieur?” Alex asked flirtatiously. Michael’s surprised bark of a laugh made his stomach flutter.  _

__ _ “Mister is fine. Your accent isn’t French either. Where are you from?” Michael asked, his body turning towards Alex’s. Their knees were only an inch away from pressing together and Alex was acutely aware all he had to do was shift forward the tiniest bit to get the first press of their bodies together.  _

__ _ “I’m from all over. America originally, but I’ve spent most of my life in Europe. What brought you over here? Are you just visiting or are you moving?” Alex asked, sipping his wine and drinking in Michael’s expressions. The warmth from the fire was soaking into their backs and Alex was getting a hint of that rain smell that always clung to Michael no matter when or where they met.  _

__ _ “I’m here with the electricity exposition. It’s been very exciting. I’ve met the most interesting people while here,” Michael gushed. Alex smiled at his enthusiasm though he didn’t know much about how electricity worked. That seemed more like magic than him being a vampire did.  _

__ _ “Isn’t electricity dangerous?” Alex asked, leaning back against the head of the chaise and setting his wine glass down next to him on top of his book. His robe opened to reveal more of his skin as he reclined and he could’ve purred at the way Michael’s eyes greedily roved over every inch of new flesh before he tore his eyes away to look at his own mostly full whiskey.  _

__ _ “No more dangerous than you are, I suppose,” Michael ventured, giving Alex a direct look that said he was more than up for the challenge. _

__ _ “Oh?” Alex asked, giving Michael an amused smile as he brought his left leg up and laid it gently over Michael’s knee. The firelight was casting a golden glow over Michael’s skin that made him seem more eternal somehow. Michael laid a tentative hand on Alex’s trouser-covered shin before looking at him, expression desperate. _

__ _ “Are you really a vampire?” he asked, voice going slightly breathy with excitement. He looked like a child who was meeting Santa Claus. It hurt Alex to think his Michael would be so enamoured with the macabre delights of the time, but he was there after all. Alex decided to do his job.  _

__ _ “If you didn’t believe I was a vampire, why did you go to such lengths to get an invitation here? Monsieur Battles vets pretty heavily. His fees aren’t cheap, my fees aren’t cheap, why would you waste so much money if you didn’t think you’d see the real thing?” Alex asked, forcing himself to stay relaxed and to not let his temper flare.  _

__ _ “I… You just don’t  _ **_look_ ** _ like a vampire. You look like a man. A handsome man, but a man all the same,” Michael explained. Alex sat up and took the whiskey glass from Michael’s unresisting hand. Once the glass was safely next to his own on the side table, Alex grabbed Michael’s hand and placed it against his bare chest over the spot where his heart was. Michael looked at him with wide, wide eyes.  _

__ _ “Do you feel my heart beating?” Alex asked, voice soft and precise. Michael shook his head, staring at the spot where his hand was pressed to Alex’s chest. He kept his hand where it was and brought the other one to press along the side of Alex’s neck, searching for the other obvious pulse point. When he couldn’t find it, Alex grabbed the hand at his neck and pulled it up to his mouth. He kissed Michael’s fingertips and then the mounds of his palms, down and down until his mouth pressed to Michael’s own thundering pulse point in his wrist. Alex let his canines lengthen before he opened his mouth and pulled back his lips enough for Michael to watch him scrape his teeth along the flesh. “Do you believe now?” _

__ _ “Yes,” Michael replied, heart beating hard and fast, but face only displaying excitement and eagerness.  _

__ _ “Do you want to die tonight or do you want to live?” Alex asked, turning his head to press Michael’s wrist against his cheek. He smelled so good this close, but Alex wanted him closer.  _

__ _ “I want to live,” Michael replied, but stopped him when Alex tried to lower his wrist. “But I still want you to bite me.” _

__ _ “That’s a dangerous game,” Alex said, but he was already moving his body forward an inch at a time.  _

__ _ “That’s okay. I play with electricity, remember? Danger and I are old pals,” Michael replied, his body also leaning in. Alex kept leaning until his mouth hovered over Michael’s and he could feel the sweet smell of whiskey puff against his lips.  _

__ _ “Where do you want to be bitten?” Alex asked in a low voice that would only travel between the two of them. He could feel Michael’s body slightly swaying with the beat of his heart and it made him feel wild inside with want. It’d been too long.  _

__ _ “Everywhere,” Michael answered, low and firm.  _

__ _ It was like a bomb went off.  _

__ _ They were suddenly a tangle of mouths, arms, and bodies surging against one another, fighting for dominance, trying to tear off all the silk and cotton that kept them safe and nonconsumable to the other sharks out in the world. Together they were rabid mouths, feral fingers sinking into soft skin, half breaths, and when Alex sank his teeth in for the first time, Michael almost howled. _

__

\---

Michael jerked awake to the sound of Max banging on the side of the door frame to his bedroom. He laid there disoriented and instantly aware of the stickiness inside of his boxers. Embarrassed, he opened his eye and looked over at where Max was leaning against the door jamb. 

“What?” Michael asked, irritated. Max gave his usual, perceptive smile as Michael wiped at his eyes. 

“You were yelling out in your sleep. I thought you were having a nightmare,” Max explained, though his widening grin said he knew exactly what type of dream Michael had been having. 

“Why are you up here? Why aren’t you with Liz?” Michael asked, deciding to leave the question of his dreams alone for the moment. 

“I wanted to talk to you about something. Why don’t you, uh… take a shower and get dressed while I go grab up breakfast?” Max suggested. Michael grimaced at his wording, but nodded and with a few lazy hand flicks dismissed him. As soon as he heard the back door slam shut, he laid back onto the mattress and scrubbed his hands over his face. Another dream that felt like a memory. Another incident that was too clear, too real for his mind to dismiss. The other dreams… the ones with his pod and the blood were obviously dreams. They were hazy, dark, disorganized at times, but this one and the desert dream… They were more like watching a movie. 

Pushing aside his thin blanket, Michael stared down at the mess of his boxers. He pulled them off and used the cleaner parts to wipe himself off as much as he could before he made the walk of shame to the shower. It had been almost a decade since he’d had a wet dream and of course the one time it happened would be with Max within hearing. Sighing, he stood up and made his way to the shower while trying to shake the dream and the feelings the dream evoked in him. 

By the time he got out of the shower, he’d made peace with the strange dream. The coffee pot was just finishing when Max returned with a box in his hands. He opened it and presented Michael with his choice of bagel. Laughing lightly, Michael took an everything bagel and went about the process of dressing it how he liked. Max did the same and they took their coffee and bagels outside onto the porch to sit and talk. 

“So what’s up? Why am I getting bribed with baked goods?” Michael asked after his first couple bites. 

“I’m thinking about moving here,” Max replied simply, setting down his coffee and turning slightly to give Michael his full attention. Michael sighed internally, having suspected as much when almost two weeks later, Max hadn’t started back to Roswell. 

“What about your house? What about Iz?” he asked. 

“Iz is fine. She’s an adult. She can visit. And I can sell the house. I just… Liz is the first girl I’ve ever felt like this about. It’s something crazy between us. I just feel like there’s a magnet pulling us closer all the time. I want to explore it,” Max replied, his voice going earnest. Michael felt his chill towards the idea thaw a little. 

“Are you moving in with her or are you planning on trying to share this little place with me?” Michael asked. “Cause, no offense, short term it’s not much of an issue, but long term? We’ll kill each other.” Max was nodding along with him. 

“Actually, Forrest mentioned that the carriage house is partially renovated. I’m going to meet up with Kyle in a couple hours to look over it. Alex would give me free rent if I turned it into an actual living space. Would you… would you want to see it with me? Maybe help me drum up some ideas on what to do with it?” Max asked a little tentatively. Michael sighed with a sense of foreboding. 

“I guess this means we’re going to be doing some brotherly bonding, huh?” Michael asked, sipping his coffee. 

“Yeah, if you agree to help me. You don’t have to, but it would be a lot easier if you did and I’d get out of here a lot quicker,” he added the last part as an afterthought, a way to sweeten the deal, and Michael could tell. This was as close to begging for his help that Max ever got. 

“Yeah, okay. I’ll help you,” he agreed with a put-upon air. “But you owe me big time.”

\---

Alex woke to find that he wasn’t alone in bed. Before he opened his eyes he could identify the pine and sea spray smell of Forrest next to him. He turned and smiled, opening his eyes slowly to Forrest’s thoughtful face. 

“Hey,” he started, voice still croaky with sleep. “What are you doing over here so early?”

“I got off a little early and came over to help Max finish clearing out the carriage house,” he answered, hand coming up to trace idle patterns over Alex’s sternum. Alex hummed and closed his eyes again. Waking up was a slow affair for him. He didn’t just pop up and start moving. He had learned long ago that he was much more pleasant if he’d lay in bed and center himself for the day before moving. 

“Is there a lot of work to be done?” Alex asked after another minute of silence passed with Forrest continuing to lazily run his fingers over Alex’s chest. 

“Not as much as there could be. The bones of the place are good. The bathroom needs to be finished and the kitchen cabinets need to be put in. It’s still empty enough that if Max wants to change something, it can still be done. I think it’ll take about a month or two to get finished if it’s just Max, Michael, Kyle, and I working on it,” Forrest commented, moving closer and replacing his hand with his head. Alex gently worked his fingers through Forrest’s hair. 

“Is this a request for me to hire people? Or just commentary?” Alex asked, enjoying the weight of Forrest’s head on his chest. 

“Commentary. It might be better if you hired someone to do the work, but Max and Michael seem like capable adults. And Kyle won’t let them do anything out of code, so I don’t think we’re in too much danger of it being a big issue,” Forrest practically purred as his hair was played with. 

“Okay. I’ll trust your judgement. Let me know if that changes and I need to let Kyle know I’m okay with him hiring a contractor,” Alex said. He reached out and grabbed Forrest’s hand in his as they laid quietly in his bed. 

“It’s a Saturday, you know. Parlor party tonight,” Forrest commented. 

“Ugh,” Alex groaned. He suddenly didn’t have the energy for it. “Let’s just keep the doors closed. Send out a text. I have no desire whatsoever to deal with people tonight.”

Forrest chuckled and sat up to look at Alex in the eyes. 

“You say that now, but as soon as you hear everyone outside, you’ll open your doors and come out of your shell. I know you,” he teased with a roll of his eyes. Alex knew he was right, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. Forrest settled back down with his head on Alex’s chest again. “All this talk about Max moving here has got me thinking…”

Alex made an inquisitive noise before resuming petting Forrest’s hair. 

“What about us moving in together?” he asked and Alex suddenly felt wide awake at the too-casual tone of voice more than the question. 

“Why would we? You have your place and I have mine. We have space to be alone, miss each other, have our hearts grow fonder…” Alex joked, already feeling that unless his answer was an automatic ‘yes’ he’d end up in a fight. 

“We’ve been dating for like three years? Most couples have moved in with one another by now. They’d have a dog or something! They’d be making plans to build a life together,” Forrest retorted hotly, pulling his head off Alex’s chest to sit up and look down at where he was laying. Alex drew in a deep breath and pushed himself up so he could lean back against the headboard. 

“That’s not really an option for me, Forrest, and you know that. I’m a vampire. I’m not going to marry you and adopt children and live the gay fantasy lifestyle. I love you, but you have to understand that eventually this will end between us,” Alex tried to explain, not unkindly. They’d had this discussion a few times over the years, what a future might look like between them, and Alex had always remained firm. He wasn’t turning Forrest into a vampire and he couldn’t carry on a farcical half-life with him either.

“You keep saying that, but I think you could make it work if you really wanted to,” Forrest accused acidly. “I don’t see why--”

“Forrest! It’s not going to happen. My answer is no,” Alex repeated more firmly, interrupting Forrest before he got a head of steam behind him. He stared at him for a moment silent and angry and Alex stared right back. He knew better than to ever give an inch on this particular subject. He’d had centuries to repeat this conversation with other people. The silence was stifling between them as Forrest frowned at him from his spot in the middle of the mattress. 

“You know, maybe I should go hang out at my own house tonight. Remember why space is so great,” Forrest finally replied coldly. Alex watched him climb off the bed and slip his shoes on. He grabbed his messenger bag off the dresser and started to leave. At the door to the living room, he stopped and looked back. “Has anyone ever made you want more or is it just me?” 

Alex tried not to glance up at the ceiling, tried not to think of all the past Michaels he’d met that he yearned to keep and had lost almost as quickly as he’d found them, but something must’ve shown in his face because Forrest’s face crumpled a little and his eyes suddenly seemed a little bright in the low lighting of the bedroom lamp. He pressed his lips together tightly and nodded to himself, before giving Alex one more betrayed look and leaving. The crash of the hallway door came with a wave of regret and relief. 

\---

Michael watched Forrest practically stomp as he speed-walked away from the house. He was on his balcony enjoying the cooler fall air and the rest of a joint Maria had given him earlier in the week. Max had already gone downstairs to help Liz get ready to open up her apartment. Stubbing out the roach on the deck railing, Michael made his way downstairs and then over to the outside entrance to Alex’s apartment. He knocked twice and waited, hands in his pockets, and stepped back when he heard footsteps approaching. The door swung open to reveal what looked like a barely awake Alex in silk red and purple paisley pajama bottoms and no shirt, barefoot, with hair awry. 

“Hey,” Michael greeted, a little taken aback at how winded he sounded and how much the sight before him affected him. Alex smiled half-heartedly and stepped back to usher Michael into his apartment. It hadn’t occurred to Michael that this door led straight into Alex’s bedroom but as he walked in and saw the tousled covers and sheets, he felt a little stupid for not putting two and two together. Alex walked into the kitchen and started messing with his Mr. Coffee machine. Michael claimed a seat at his kitchen table and waited for Alex to sit down or speak before he said anything more. 

“So what brings you down?” Alex finally asked after the coffee was dripping into the pot. 

“I saw Forrest leave in a snit. Just wanted to check on you, I guess,” Michael replied, finger tracing patterns along the woodgrain of the table. Alex sighed and sat down opposite him, running a hand through his hair. He looked like he could go back to sleep. 

“He wants to move in together. I told him that I didn’t want to and that that wouldn’t change. I understand where he’s coming from. It’s not unreasonable to think about as long as we’ve been together, but… it’s just not going to happen. I’m happy where I am, how I am,” Alex explained, finger drumming on the tabletop. Michael wanted to reach over and grab his hand to comfort him, but he didn’t know if it would be welcome so he nodded like he understood. “It’s just… a tiresome discussion I’ve had many times before. It usually signals the beginning of the end.”

Alex got up and poured them both a cup of coffee, despite Michael not having asked for one. The silk of his pajama pants did a good job at hiding nothing and keeping things tasteful and when Alex moved Michael couldn’t stop watching for where the fabric could meet resistance. Alex turned from getting out milk from the fridge for Michael’s coffee and caught him staring. Michael had the decency to look a little ashamed at the knowing smile Alex was giving him. 

“So are you going to open up your apartment tonight?” Michael asked, adding milk and grabbing sugar for his coffee from the center of the table. Alex watching him prepare his coffee without speaking, looking contemplative. 

“I don’t think I am. I kinda just want to… chill. Not do anything tonight. Hermit myself away,” Alex said, sounding sad and tired in a way that had nothing to do with how much sleep he’d gotten. Michael felt for him.

“Oh, well, I don’t want to intrude if you feel like being alone. I just wanted to check on you,” Michael said after a beat of silence, feeling unsure what to do. Now that he was in Alex’s presence he wanted to find a way to stay there, but he didn’t want to alienate his new friend either by being needy. Michael felt exactly the opposite. He wanted company.

“No, you can stay. I don’t want to be alone, I just don’t feel like being part of the party,” Alex sighed, smiling wanly over at Michael from his seat. 

“Okay, cool. So what do you want to do?” Michael asked, sipping from his drink. If he hadn’t been looking, he doubted he’d have seen the flash of  _ something _ go across Alex’s expression. Something like lust or hunger. Michael was suddenly very aware again that Alex was one drawstring knot away from being naked in front of him and his shirt had pearl snaps so it wouldn’t take anything to get him there too. 

“Want to watch a movie?” Alex suggested, getting up and draining his coffee up in the sink. 

“Sure, yeah,” Michael agreed easily. He pushed out of the chair and started towards the living room. 

“Oh, no. We can’t watch in there. I’m going to shut off all the lights and make sure the door’s locked. If they hear me in here, the apartment will eventually get opened up to the party,” Alex explained, stopping Michael before he could go through the doorway. 

“We can watch in here if you don’t mind watching on my laptop on the bed? We can make a pajama party out of it,” Alex said, indicating the bed beside him. Michael felt his blood pressure rise at the idea of spending an evening in bed with Alex. Before he could formulate an answer, Alex was brushing by him and checking the locks on his hallway doors and then switching off the lights. He returned and did the same to the kitchen lights and then shut the two doors that led from the bedroom to either room. Suddenly the bedroom felt very intimate and private. There were no windows that anyone would be able to see them through, no holes in the ceiling for accidental peeping toms, and the noise of the house seemed to vanish. Michael was marveling at the changes when Alex came to stand directly in front of him. 

“Do you want to borrow something more comfortable?” Alex asked, indicating his dresser. Michael looked over at the ornate, antique five-drawer piece and swallowed. Temptation was drumming at his temples. 

“No, I…” he started, but then looked down and realized he was still in the clothes he’d been cleaning out the carriage house in. There was dust and dirt and God knew what else on his jeans and one glance at the dark plum sheets of Alex’s bed made him nervous that it would all transfer the minute he touched them. “Yeah, I guess I should. I didn’t really come prepared, did I?”

“I sprang this on you, I know. If you want to go back upstairs you can grab your own things?” Alex offered with a smile. “I’m not trying to trap you here.”

“No, no. It’s fine. I’ll borrow some of yours if that's okay,” Michael replied, feeling nervous and awkward in the room with no windows and a bed and a hot guy in front of him. Alex opened the second drawer down and pulled out a pair of black silk pants like his own and handed them to Michael. Michael took them and marveled at how soft they were and also how incredibly thin the material was. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Alex replied, moving past him to pull his laptop from the bottom shelf of his bedside table. While he opened the computer and started messing around, Michael turned his back and toed off his shoes. He felt more naked than if he were actually fully undressing for someone as he unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down his legs. He stepped out of them and straightened up, catching his movement in the dresser mirror. He looked through the mirror to check and see what Alex was doing and he was studiously looking at the screen on his computer. Michael didn’t know why he thought he’d see Alex watching him undress. Shrugging at his own fantastical imagination, Michael grabbed the pajama pants and slid them up over his legs. The material felt too luxurious for his humble roots, but when he checked himself out in the mirror, he had to admit they did look good on him. He lifted his shirt and turned a little to get a good look at them. They seemed to cling to his hips in the way that models in magazines always had their pants look secure and also two seconds from falling off. This time when he looked up at Alex, he did catch him watching him. When Alex caught his eye, he smiled. 

“You look good in them,” Alex commented casually while turning back to the laptop. He pushed it into the middle of the bed before climbing up and propping himself against the headboard. 

“Thanks,” Michael replied easily. He let his shirt drop and he went over and climbed onto the undisturbed side of the bed. He adjusted the pillows until he was propped next to Alex against the headboard, their shoulders almost touching. He could see Netflix pulled up on the screen in front of them. Alex picked up the laptop and handed it to him. 

“Go ahead and pick something. I’m woefully out of touch with what’s worth watching,” Alex said as Michael took the laptop from him. Michael scrolled through the options, trying not to notice the way Alex’s cool shoulder felt against his own, or the way Alex smelled subtly of cinnamon and the coffee he’d drunk. Michael quickly clicked on something to get it started. 

“The Queen of the Damned?” Alex asked, with amusement in his voice as he turned to look at Michael with a wry smile. He was so close that all Michael would’ve had to do was press gently forward to kiss him. That’s what he wanted to do, he wanted to put the laptop to the side, slide his hands in Alex’s hair, and kiss the sense out of him…. But just because he and Forrest were fighting didn’t mean that they were over so he just smiled. 

“Have you seen it?” Michael asked. Alex didn’t move away immediately, his eyes trained on Michael’s and looking very much like he was having the same inner dilemma that Michael had just gone through. Michael held his breath, unsure if he’d come to the same conclusion or not. After a long moment, Alex shook his head softly and pushed back into his own space. They both gave up a thigh to the placement of the laptop and settled in to watch. It felt like the longest movie Michael had even seen and he’d been forced to watch The Notebook in theatres with Isobel twice. 


	8. Not a saint, but do I have to be?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Michael share a bed and a dream...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this dream is pure filth... that being said.... It is a DREAM. Please don't play 'Just the Tip' without lube IRL. I know "raw dogging" it is a thing that people are into and no shame in your game if you are, but even then... spit or something. This only works because it's a dream. 
> 
> This is unbeta'd because that's how I roll sometimes.
> 
> TW/CW: mild breath play! ( i just realized some people might be sensitive to that. it completely slipped my mind! )Also, possessive behavior. both of them are within the dream, but I figured I might want to warn you.

_Michael wakes up with Alex pressed tight behind him in Alex's bed. The laptop is on the side table, its screen asking if they were still watching. Michael stretches carefully and feels the firm pressure of Alex's cock pressing against the cleft of his ass through their silk pants. Alex's hand is so low on his stomach, he might as well be holding Michael’s morning wood in his sleep-slackened grasp. Michael tries to stay still, but once he's aware of it he can't help shifting slightly just to feel what he wants so badly in him rub against him. He turns his head into the pillow and groans as softly as he can when he feels Alex's hips hitch and press back against him._

_"Michael?" Alex's sleep roughened voice says from behind him. Michael bites the inside of his cheek in shame, his face still turned towards the pillow even as he pushes his ass back against Alex again in a silent plea._

_"Michael…" Alex says again, voice breathy with understanding. His hand smooths down and hovers over where Michael is swollen and aching. Michael grabs his wrist. Immediately Alex starts apologizing. "I'm sorry. I misread, let me just---"_

_"No, no. You didn't, Alex. I just want…" Michael says before he pauses to let go of Alex's wrist. Alex lets his hand continue to hover while Michael reaches down and pushes the ludicrously luxurious pajama pants down until his ass is exposed. "...something else."_

_"Michael, we shouldn't…" Alex tries, even as his hand smooths over Michael's newly exposed skin. He doesn't sound like it would take much to convince him otherwise._

_“I know…" Michael whines, his hips pushing back into the touch, bare skin rubbing against Alex’s length with one less layer separating them. "We don't have to do anything, I just want to feel your skin against mine."_

_Alex's hips pull back and then Michael can feel him thick and hard, skin against skin, the line of him rubbing enticing along Michael’s crack. Alex traces his lips over Michael’s shoulder, breath beginning to come out in shuddering puffs as their bodies start a dirty grind against each other. His hand comes down and presses over the curls surrounding Michael’s cock, thumb and forefinger framing the base but not grasping, only asking without words. Michael can’t decide if it would be going too far to let Alex touch him like that. It seems he can’t deny they're doing this to himself and he is barely hanging onto the shreds of his morality. Alex removes his hand and brings it up to Michael’s face, cupping his jaw and turning his head back towards him._

_“Do you want me to stop?” Alex asks, though the position of Michael’s neck pulls his body back more firmly against Alex’s, practically on top of him, and exposes his flushed nakedness and weeping cock more fully. Alex bites gently at the hinge of Michael’s jaw, his thumb tracing over his abused lower lip, his lower body still rutting fluidly against Michael’s backside. He repeats his question when Michael remains silent, though his body is moving in counterpoint with Alex’s in a graceful, daring dance. “Michael, do you want me to stop?”_

_“No,” Michael cries desperately. He's never wanted anything less than to have Alex stop sighing with pleasure into his ear as his body seeks release with Michael's. Before he can lose his nerve, Michael says, “I want you inside of me.”_

_“Michael…” Alex groans. Michael feels Alex push his body back onto its side and he thinks he’s being rejected, that a cooler head is prevailing and they’re stopping this insanity, and he curls his leg up ready to hide his weakness from view. But Alex’s hand is smoothing along the bottom of his thigh and lifting, the blunt head of his cock positioning and pressing against Michael’s entrance. “Is this what you want, my love?”_

_Alex says it into the crook of his neck and Michael isn’t aware he’s crying until the back of Alex’s fingers are wiping away the salty tracks on his cheeks and he’s shushing him sweetly._

_“We haven’t done anything wrong. We can stop,” Alex says in a consoling voice. Michael shakes his head. He doesn’t want to stop. The closer they get, the more he needs to keep going or he thinks he’ll die from the want of it._

_“I just want to feel you inside me,” Michael manages to get out. “Just… just a little before we stop. I know we have to, but… but maybe if I feel you inside me I can let go of this need for you.”_

_“You want just a little? Just the tip, then? Will that make you stop crying?” Alex asks, the pressure at Michael’s hole increasing minutely. It isn’t much but he gasps all the same, feeling feral with need. Alex’s thumb rubs roughly over his bottom lip, freeing it from his teeth, and then pushes its way inside to rub against Michael’s tongue. Michael moans at the taste of Alex's skin and swirls his tongue around the digit, pulling it deeper into his mouth, greedy for more. “Will a little be enough for you?”_

_“Yes, yes! Please, Alex, just a little. That’s all I need,” Michael assures him around the thumb in his mouth. Alex pauses, seeming to consider Michael’s words, his thumb smoothly pushing in and out as he does, his eyes dark with lust. He lets out his breath like he's lost an argument with himself and nods absently._

_“Okay, baby. Relax for me. I’ll give you what you need,” Alex promises. Michael’s breath comes out as a gasp at the pressure behind him, at the slow stretch of Alex breaching him. When he feels the head of Alex’s cock fully slip inside him, he turns his face back into his pillow and lays still, panting, trying not to demand more even though he already wants it. Alex begins to pull away and Michael whimpers, his hand shooting back to grasp at Alex’s hip to keep him still, to keep him inside. Alex shushes him, then kisses and nips along the straining muscles of his neck and shoulder. Alex removes Michael’s hand from his hip and positions it up until Michael is clinging onto the edge of the mattress. “Stay still so I don’t break my promise by accident. I only have so much control...”_

_He pulls back again and Michael feels the head slip out, and then push back in. Such a shallow fuck and Michael is already feeling his body want to draw uptight over it. He needs more. A little wouldn’t do and he knew it when he'd asked that it wouldn't be enough but he'd hoped... Every push inside of him makes Michael’s body shudder and ache worse than when he was empty and didn’t know how sweet it would feel to have Alex inside of him._

_“More Alex, please,” Michael begins to beg. He can’t stop himself from pushing back on the next thrust and pulling more of Alex into himself. Alex swears and tries to pull his hips back, tries to keep it shallow._

_“Michael, I can’t only give you a little if you keep pushing back like that… It’s taking all my control to keep from just… fuck, just pounding into you. You feel so fucking good, sweetheart,” Alex pants into the space between his shoulder blades. Michael is moaning continually as the slide and push of Alex drives him closer to the edge._

_“Alex, please. I need more. You said you’d give me what I needed,” Michael moans piteously, turning back to try to see Alex’s face. Alex looks wrecked, his eyes shut in concentration, his hair mussed, and the raw need in his own body making the muscles visibly tremble as he tries to hold back. Michael says his name again and Alex opens his eyes, looking almost lost. When he catches Michael’s gaze, he moves forward and seals their lips together, his tongue pushing past Michael’s lips insistently. Their tongues tangle together in a reckless, desperate kiss and as they do, Alex sinks in until their bodies are flush._

_“Move, please,” Michael gasps as he wrenches himself from the kiss. Alex nods and presses his face into the hair behind Michael’s ear as he starts a slow, deep rhythm that curls Michael’s toes and makes his balls draw close to his body. It's torturous and exquisite and he is torn between begging for Alex to go faster and harder and telling him to never stop what he is doing. He moves his hand down to his own cock and starts to tease his hand over the shaft, trying to continue the building tension and take the edge off at the same time._

_“I need to taste you,” Alex whispers, voice rough and needy. He reaches down and replaces Michael’s hand with his own, grasp firm as he works Michael’s cock expertly. Michael turns his head back, thinking Alex wants another kiss._

_“Anything,” he breaths against Alex’s lips. Alex kisses him, dipping his tongue in to teasingly flit over Michael's, and then his mouth is moving away and down in sloppy, open-mouthed kisses. The cool velvet of his lips and the scrape of his teeth along Michael’s skin, mixed with the punctuated thrusts at just the right angle to drive Michael wild, make him feel almost worshipful. He starts repeating Alex’s name out loud, sound pushed out from somewhere deep inside him in a reverent, desperation-fueled chant. At the piercing of Alex’s teeth through his skin, something explodes behind Michael’s eyes and he’s turned into a creature of pure, incandescent pleasure. Nothing compares to this triumvirate of sensation. Alex’s deft hand on his cock squeezing, twisting, gliding along him isn’t as good as... Alex’s cock stretching him and stuffing him full and grazing over his prostate isn’t as good as… Nothing feels as good as all three bright points of connection at once and the noises of hungry possessiveness and ecstasy that Alex makes as he takes and gives to Michael simultaneously. These sounds will be the soundtrack to his dirtiest fantasies from then on._

_When the connection is broken, when Alex removes a piece of the puzzle, Michael still enjoys the throb and pulse of the other places they’re connected. Michael opens his eyes to see Alex’s neck arched above his and he wants to tear into that perfect, porcelain skin with his own blunt teeth. He begins to sit up when he notices a red satin sheet falling from the ceiling. He stares at it until it hits and then he realizes it was a wall of blood. The impact stings his skin, clogs his nose, and blinds him. He opens his mouth and he is drowning in the taste of it. He tries to push away, tries to move to clear his mouth or nose and his neck feels like it’s ripping where Alex had bitten him. He gasps at the pain._

  
  


Michael gasped at the phantom pain as he woke up with a start. He had one hand clamped over the side of his neck and the other was wrapped around his indecently hard cock. The smooth silk of the pajamas very nice against his skin and with a start he realized that while he’d dreamt a lot of it, he hadn’t dreamt of falling asleep in Alex’s bed. He jerked his hand back from himself, face flaming with embarrassment and heart racing in his chest. Slowly, Michael started to turn onto his back in Alex’s bed. The room was pitch black and there was no way to tell what time it was because of the blackout covers on the one window in the room and the shut doors. Michael laid still and tried to see if he could tell if he’d woken Alex or not, but try as he might he didn’t hear a thing. Carefully, he fumbled for his phone on the bedside table and had to blink back tears when he found it and turned on the display. It was ten in the morning. He looked over at Alex next to him and saw him peacefully laying on his stomach, face half-obscured with the way he’d buried his head against the pillow. He looked… amazing, even asleep, and Michael found himself so tempted to see if he could make his dream into a reality. 

Before he could make a bad decision, however, Michael instead climbed out of the bed and scooped up his clothing before exiting into the living room and up the stairs to his own apartment. He closed his door behind him with a sigh of relief and after dumping his clothes onto his bedroom floor, laid back on his bed and decided to relive parts of the dream in his head while he took care of the hormones still flooding through his body. He was tired of dreams that woke him before he could finish. 

\---

Meanwhile, downstairs Alex was still in the dream. 

_The blood curtain rained down on them, drenching their skin and the sheets under them. Alex feels his body go into overdrive at so much blood and he bites Michael again, much harder than he means to, and the muscle underneath rips. Michael cries out and Alex tries to think what to do, but he’s still moving inside of him, still drinking from him, still gripping his cock and stroking it with his hand. Alex closes his eyes, trying to focus on everything around him and finding that Michael’s heart has started to go thready and uneven. Fear grips him and Alex pulls himself back with an effort. Michael is moaning, but it’s piteously beneath him. Alex has almost taken too much from him. He lets go of Michael’s cock and nips his own wrist to open a vein. When he presses the dripping cut to Michael’s mouth, he doesn’t hesitate to start drinking._

_It’s a heady thing to share his blood, to feel the pull from Michael’s mouth and the strength flowing back into Michael’s body beneath him. When it’s enough, when Michael’s heart sounds steady once more, Alex takes back his wrist with some effort. Michael is writhing with the ecstasy of tasting Alex’s blood._

_“Thank you,” Michael manages to say, his eyes closed and face contorted with pleasure. Alex turns him onto his back and kisses him roughly. His own blood in Michael’s mouth makes his body sing with renewed vigor. He’s about to crawl between Michael’s legs when Michael moves and pushed him onto his back instead. Alex watches in rapt fascination as Michael pins him to the mattress with one hand on his neck, while he straddles and impales himself back on Alex’s cock. He starts to ride him, hips rocking and bouncing over him as he takes what he needs from Alex’s body. Alex tries to sit up, wants to lick the blood off of Michael’s nipples and maybe bite him again while they cum, but Michael stops him with a hand to his chest. He leans down and kisses Alex with a filthy twist of his tongue that makes Alex start to thrust up into his waiting body._

_“You’re mine,” Michael breathes against his lips. “No one else’s.”_

_“I’m yours,” Alex moans, feeling the hand on his chest slide once again up to his neck. Michael’s fingers press gently on either side of his windpipe in a possessive hold. It’s fucked up, but it makes Alex grab onto Michael’s hips to push and pull him as Alex continues to thrust into him._

_“Say it again,” Michael demands, sucking Alex’s lower lip briefly while waiting for an answer._

_“I’m yours,” Alex answers immediately. Michael’s body starts to tighten around his punishing pace, making him work for every push into his body. He’s panting against Alex’s lips and barely holding himself aloft as he starts to squeeze Alex’s throat in rhythm with each slapping meeting of their bodies._

_“Again,” Michael whimpers and Alex can tell he’s close, can tell he’s about to lose it. Alex drags one of his hands off Michael’s hips and cups his cheek, thumb brushing the corner of Michael’s open mouth._

_“I’m. Yours,” he says slowly, seriously, before pulling Michael’s mouth so roughly their teeth clack. He feels Michael’s seed spilling warm onto his stomach a second later and Michael’s voice cracks as he cries out. Alex smiles and moves his body harder, chasing his own release once he feels Michael relax. Michael moans at the overstimulation and the effort it’s taking him to keep from sliding off to the side. It doesn't take long before Alex is emptying himself into Michael’s body._

_“I’m yours, Michael, yours,” he whispers against Michael’s neck as he hugs him close through the last few weak spurts. Michael moans and kisses his neck, arms pushing under his shoulders to hug him against his body, too._

_“And I’m yours,” Michael finally answers, sounding sleepy and fucked out. Alex smiles against his skin and basks in the feeling between them._

  
 _..._ the dream fades, but Alex smiles against his pillow, fangs sharp and ready for the real thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it hot in here? Well, is it? Tell me if it is, please and thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> Man, I hope you enjoyed this! If you want more, let me know! If you have questions, let me know! If you just want to type the word "kudos" into the comment box on every chapter because it's bananas that you can only give kudos once to something, I tell you to GO FOR IT! (on anyones fic, not just mine. Seriously. Go for it. Writers live for it. Artists live for it. We needs it. The preciousssssss....)


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